UNIVERSITY  OF  CAUFORNIA   SAN  D  EG 


3  1822017325572 


tIBRARY 

UNIVERSITY  OF 

CALIFORNIA 
"SAN  DIEGO 


Socia.Sciences&Humanitjes^rary 

University  of  Califom.a,  San  Diego 


Date  Due 


UCSD  Lfc- 


v 


THE  SIGHTS  AND  SECRETS 


OF  THE 


NATIONAL  CAPITAL 


iite  0f 


[N  ALL  ITS  VARIOUS   PHASES 


BT 

DR  JOHK  B.  ELLIS. 


NEW  YORK: 

UNITED    STATES     PUBLISHING     COMPANY, 
411  BROOME  STREET. 
1869. 


Entered  according  to  Act  of  Congress,  in  the  year  1869,  by  T.  W.  BEOWX,  in  the  Clerk'i 

Office  of  the  District  Court  of  the  United  States  for  the 

Southern  District  of  N.  Y. 


THK  TROW    *   KMITH 

BOOK    MANUFACTURING    (XlMPAJtY, 

46,  48,  50  liiiF.BMi  ST.,  X.  *. 


PREFACE. 


THE  pet  child  of  the  Republic,  Washington  City, 
is  unknown  to  the  majority  of  the  American  people. 
Few  have  seen  it,  and  there  is  no  work  in  print  de 
scribing  its  varied  attractions  and  sights,  or  making 
plain  that  inner  life  which  daily  transpires  within  it, 
and  in  which  the  whole  country  is  FO  much  interested. 
It  is  the  centre  from  which  radiate  those  influences 
which  make  our  national  existence  great  or  feeble> 
and  the  entire  Republic  is  affected  by  its  weal  or  woe. 
There  is  a  growing  desire  manifested  on  all  sides  to 
know  more  of  the  Capital  of  the  Nation,  and  it  is  the 
object  of  this  volume  to  gratify  this  laudable  and 
natural  curiosity.  It  is  believed  that  the  picture 
herein  presented  is  complete,  and  the  author  has  la 
bored  faithfully  to  make  it  accurate.  The  Publishers, 
on  their  part,  have  spared  no  expense  to  render  the 
book  attractive.  As  a  guarantee  of  the  excellence 
and  fidelity  of  the  engravings  of  the  Public  Build 
ings,  it  is  only  necessary  to  mention  that  they  were 
prepared  in  the  famous  establishment  of  Messrs.  Har 
per  &  Bros. 

J.  B.  E. 

January  23,  1869. 


CONTENTS. 


L 

GOING  TO  WASHINGTON. 

By  Rail,     .  .  '.  ..  .  .21 

By  Steamboat,     .  .    ,  .  .  .  25 

n. 

THE  CITY  OP  WASHINGTON. 

The  District  of  Columbia,         .  .                .                .27 

The  Federal  City,                .  .                .                .            38 

The  Primitive  Capitol,                 .  .                 .                 .42 

The  City  Burned  by  the  British,  .                .                .46 

Washington  before  the  War,       .  .                 .                 .48 

The  City  during  the  War,  .  .                .                .            49 

The  Streets,                .                .  .  '_'            .                .52 

General  Remarks,               .  .            55 

m. 

THE  CAPITOL. 
The  New  Capitol.      .  .  ,  .  .59 


VI  CONTENTS. 


The  Old  Building,  ...  64 

The  Law  Library,       .  .  .  .  .66 

The  Folding  Rooms  of  the  House,      .  .  .67 

The  Rotunda,  .  .  .  .  .68 

The  Dome,          .....  71 

Brumidi's  Allegorical  Picture,    .  .  .  .72 

The  View  from  the  Dome,  .  .  .75 

The  Library  of  Congress,  .  .  .  .77 

The  North  Wing,  ....  81 

The  Basement,  .  .  .  .  .81 

How  the  Capitol  is  Warmed  and  Ventilated,      .  .  83 

The  Second  Floor,      .  .  .  .86 

The  Post-  Office  of  the  Senate,  .  87 

The  Ladies'  Reception  Room,    .  .  .  .87 

The  President's  Room,        ....  89 

The  Vice-  President's  Room,        .  .  .  .89 

The  Marble  Room,  ....  89 

The  Marble  Stairs,      .  .  .  '.  .90 

The  Upper  Corridor,  .  .  .  .91 

The  Senate  Chamber,  .  .  .  .92 

The  South  Wing,  •   .  .  .  .93 

The  Old  Hall  of  Representatives,  .  .  .94 

The  Bronze  Door,  .  .  .  .96 

The  North  Corridor,  ....  102 

Post-Office  of  the  House,    .  .  .  .  .  103 

Ladies'  Reception  Room,  ....  103 

The  Speaker's  Room,  .  .  .  .  ]04 

Leutze's  Great  Painting,  ....  105 

The  Upper  Corridor,  .  .  .  .107 

The  Library  of  the  House,         .  .  .  .108 

The  Hall  of  the  House  of  Representatives,        .  .  108 


CONTENTS. 


PA  OK 


The  Basement,            .                .  .                .                .Ill 

Members'  Baths,                 ....  Ill 

Downing's  Restaurant,                 .  .                 .                 .112 

The  Central  Corridor,          .                 .  .                 .112 

The  Committee  Rooms,              .  .                .                .113 

The  Statue  of  Freedom,     .                .  .                .113 

Greenough's  Statue  of  Washington,  .                .                .114 

The  Capitol  Grounds,          .                .  .                .116 

The  Commissioner  of  Public  Buildings,  .                .                 .116 

The  Capitol  Police,            .                .  .                .117 

IV. 

CONGRESS. 

The  Senate,  .    .  .  .  .  .119 

The  House  of  Representatives,  .  .  «          120 

The  Senate  in  Session,  ....  121 

Personal  Sketches,  ....  123 

Senator  Wade,  .....  123 

Senator  Morton,  ....  125 

Senator  Pomeroy,       .....  125 

Reverdy  Johnson,  .  .  .  .  126 

Senator  Hendricks,     .....  129 

Senator  Sprague,  .  .  .  .130 

John  Sherman,  .  .  .  .  131 

Roscoe  Conkling,  .  .  .  .131 

Garrett  Davis,  .....  132 

Senator  Fessenden,  .  .  .  .132 

Lyman  Trumbull,       .  .  ...  .  134 

Simon  Cameron,  ....  135 

Charles  Sunmer,         .....  136 

Senator  Morgan,  ....          137 


viii  CONTENTS. 


Senator  Yates,  .  188 

Senator  Doolittle,  .  .  •  .138 

Choosing  Senators,      .....  138 
The  House  in  Session,        .  .  •  •  189 

I/isgracefu.  Scenes  in  the  House,  .  .  .141 

Party  Discipline,  .  .  •  •  1^6 

The  Franking  Swindle,  .  •  •  •  150 

Congressional  Buncombe,    ....  154 

Personal  Sketches,      .....  157 
Speaker  Colfax,  .....  157 

The  Boy-Speaker,       .  .  .  .  .160 

General  Schenck,  .  .  .  .161 

Elihu  B.  Washburne,  .  .  .  .162 

Ben.  Butler,        .  .  +  _  .  ,.          163 

John  A.  Logan,         .....  164 
Sidney  Clarke,     .  .  .  .  .165 

General  Banks,          .....  165 
Horace  Maynard,  ....  166 

Chester  D.  Hubbard,  .  .  .167 

Ignatius  Donnelly,  .  •  .  167 

Ex.  -Governor  Boutwell,  ....  168 

James  M.  Ashley,  .  .  •  .169 

Judge  Kelley,  .  .  .  .  .169 

General  Garfield,  .  .  .  .  170 

James  F.  Wilson,       .....  170 
John  A.  Griswold,  ....  170 

John  A.  Biugham,      .  .  .  .  .171 

James  Brooks,     .....  171 

Fernando  Wood,         .  .  .  .  .172 

John  Morrissey,  ....  174 

Perquisites,  .  .  .  .  .  179 


CONTEXTS.  IX 

PAOl 

V. 

THE  LOBBY. 

Why  shrewd  Men  and  Women  are  sent  to  the  Capital,  .  133 
Congressional  Lobbying,  ....  189 
The  Lobby  at  Work,  .  .  .  .189 

The  Rail- Road  Lobby,                .                .                .  .191 

The  Result,         .....  199 

VI. 

THE  RINGS. 

The  Whiskey  Ring,                    .                .                .  .203 

Frauds  by  G augers,             ....  205 

Frauds  by  Distillers  and  Storekeepers,       ,                 .  .  205 

Frauds  through  Compounding- Houses,                  .                 .  206 

How  the  Government  aids  the  Ring,            .                 .  .  207 

Congress  and  the  Ring,       ....  210 

An  honest  Inspector  vs.  the  Ring,               .                .  .211 

VII. 

THE  PRESIDENT. 

The  Inauguration,       .....  219 

What  it  Costs  the  President  to  Live,  .                .                *  224 

The  President's  Visitors,            .                 .                 .  225 

Cabinet  Meetings,                .                .                 .                 .  227 

VIII. 

THE  WHITE  HOUSE. 

The  Interior  of  the  White  House,              .               .  .  229 

The  East  Room,                                  .                '.                .  229 
1* 


X  CONTENTS. 

PAOT 

The  Red  ROOK/,         .  .  .  .  .230 

The  Ladies'  Parlor,  .  .  .  .231 

The  First  Mistress  of  the  White  House,     .  .  .231 

Old  Times  at  the  White  House,          .  .  .  232 

An  Old  Time  Levee,  .  .  .  .  235 

Etiquette,  .....  237 

The  Code,  .  ..  .  .  .  .239 

The  President's  Receptions,  .  .  .  240 

Impertinent  Gossip,    .....  246 

Death  in  the  White  House,  .  .  .  248 

A  new  White  House,  ....  250 


IX. 


THE  JUDICIARY. 

The  Supreme  Court,  .                 .                 .                 .252 

The  Court  Room,       .  .                .                .                .253 

The  Court  in  Session,  .                 .                 .  •               .           257 

The  Chief-Justice,      .  .                .                .                .259 

Chief- Justice  Marshall,  ....           260 

Chief-Justice  Taney,  ....  266 

Chief-Justice  Chase,  ....           270 

Salaries,      ......  273 

The  Attorney-General,  ....          273 

The  Court  of  Claims,  .                                                    273 

X. 

THE  DEPARTMENT  OF  STATE. 

How  the  Archives  were  Saved,  .  .  .  275 

Organization,  .  .  .  278 


CONTENTS.  XI 

PAGB 

The  Diplomatic  Bureau,      ....  278 
The  Consular  Bureau,                 ....  27S 

The  Disbursing  Agent,         ....  279 

The  Translator,           .                 .                 .                 .  .279 

The  Clerk  of  Appointments  and  Commissions,     .                 .  279 

The  Clerk  of  the  Rolls  and  Archives,          .  .  280 

The  Clerk  of  Authentications  and  Copyrights,    .                 .  280 

The  Clerk  of  Pardons  and  Passports,          .                 .  280 

The  Superintendent  of  Statistics,        .                 .                 .  281 

The  Secretary  of  State,                .                 .                 .  .281 

Secretary  Seward,                .              ,.  ,'.               .                 .  282 

XI. 

THE  TREASURY  DEPARTMENT. 

The  Secretary  of  the  Treasury,                   .                .  .286 

The  First  Comptroller,        /               .                 .                 .  287 

The  Second  Comptroller,            .                 .             " ,  .  288 

The  Commissioner  of  the  Customs,     .                 .                 .  288 

The  First  Auditor,     j                .                .                ^  .288 

The  Second  Auditor,           ....  288 

The  Third  Auditor,     .                 .                 .                 .  .288 
The  Fourth  Auditor,           .                .                .                .289 

The  Fifth  Auditor,     .                .  '             .                .  .289 
The  Sixth  Auditor,              .                 .                 .  •              .289 

The  Treasurer,            .                 .                 .                 ^  .  290 

The  Register,      .....  290 

The  Solicitor,              .                 .                 .                 .  .291 

The  Chief  of  the  Currency  Bureau,     .                 .                 .  291 

The  Commissioner  of  the  Internal  Revenue.               .  .  291 

The  Light- House  Board,     .                .'               .                .  292 

Secretary  McCulloch,                  .                .                ?  -  .  292 


xil  CONTENTS. 

MO* 

How  Mr.  McCullocb  came  to  be  Secretary,        .  .          294 

The  Treasury  Building,  .  .  .  •  295 


THE  CURRENCY. 

How  Paper-Money  is  made,                .                .  .           300 

Preparing  the  Plate,   .                 .                 .  .                 •  300 

Transferring,       .                 .                 .                 •  •           302 
Printing  the  Notes,     .....  303 

Careless  Printing  of  the  Currency,      .                 .  .           305 

Making  Money,          .                '.                .  .                 •  310 

XIII. 

COUNTERFEITING. 

"Who  make  the  Counterfeits,              .  .                 .  .           312 

How  the  Business  is  carried  on,                  .  . .                 .  313 

How  Treasury  Plates  are  Obtained,    .                 .  .316 

XIV. 

THE  WAR  DEPARTMENT. 

The  Secretary  of  War,                .                 .  .                .320 

The  Adjutant-General,      -.                 .        *.       ..  *          320 

The  Quartermaster-General,        .                .  .                   321 

The  Commissary-General,   ....  321 

The  Paymaster-General,             ..                 .  .-,                    321 

The  Surgeon-General,          .                  .                 .  .321 

The  Chief  of  Engineers,             .                .  .                .322 

The  Chief  of  Ordnance,      .                .                .  .322 


CONTENTS.  Xlll 

FA  01 

The  Judge- Advocate  General,    ....  322 
The  United  States  Army,    .  .  .  .322 

The  Headquarters  of  the  Army,  .  .  .  323 

XV. 

THE  NAVY  DEPARTMENT. 

The  Secretary  of  the  Navy,                 .              ".  .          325 

Secretary  Welles,       .                .                .                «  .             .326 

The  Bureau  of  Yards  and  Docks,       .'               .  .           326 
The  Bureau  of  Navigation,         ....  327 

The  Bureau  of  Construction  and  Repairs,          .  .           327 

The  Bureau  of  Steam-Engineering,             .                 .  .  327 

The  Bureau  of  Equipment  and  Recruiting,        .  .           327 
The  Bureau  of  Ordnance,          ....  328 

The  Bureau  of  Provisions  and  Clothing,             .  .           328 

The  Bureau  of  Medicine  and  Surgery,       .                .  .  328 

The  United  States  Navy,    .                .                .  .329 

The  Marine  Corps,     .                .                .                .  .330 

XVI. 

THE  NAVY- YARD. 

The  Grounds,      .  ~  .  .  .  .331 

The  Machine  Shops,  .     *         .  .  .  .332 

xvn. 

THE  DEPARTMENT  OF  THE  INTERIOR. 

The  Secretary  of  the  Interior,  .  .  ,  335 

The  Commissioner  of  the  General  I^and  Office,  t  f  336 


CONTENTS. 


Tbe  Commissioner  of  Pensions,  .  •  •  336 

The  Commissioner  of  Indian  Affairs,          .  •  •  337 

The  Census  Bureau,  ....          338 

XVIII. 

THE  PATENT  OFFICE. 

Tbe  Building,  .  .  .  .  .340 

The  Model-Room,  ....  341 

The  South  Hall,        .  .  .  .  .342 

Benjamin  Franklin's  Press,  .  .  .  342 

The  Treaties,  .....  344 

The  Washington  Relics,      ....          346 
The  Declaration  of  Independence,  .  .  •  347 

Washington's  Commission,  .  .  .  .  348 

Abraham  Lincoln's  Model.         ....  348 
The  Other  Halls,  .  .  .  .349 

XIX. 

THE  BUREAU  OF  AGRICULTURE. 
The  New  Bureau,      .  .  .  .  .351 

XX.      . 

THE  POST-OFFICE  DEPARTMENT. 

The  Postmaster-General,  ....           358 

The  Appointment  Office,  ....  359 

The  Contract  Office,  ....           359 

The  Finance  Office,     .  .                ,                ,                .360 

The  iLspection  Office,  .                ,               t                .361 


CONTENTS.  XV 

FIGB 
The  Dead-Letter  Office,  .  .  .  3G2 

The  Post-Office  Building,   .  .  .  .368 


XXI. 

OFFICIALS. 

An  Inside  View  of  the  Departments,         .  .  .  369 

Salaries,  .  .  .  .  .372 

Black  Mailing,  .  .  .  .  .373 

Are  Public  Offices  for  Sale  ?  .  .  .374 

A  Warning  to  Office-seekers,      ....  375 
Going  Home  to  Vote,  ....  376 

Proposed  Reforms  in  the  Civil  Service,      .  .  .  377 


XXII. 

FEMALE  CLERKS. 

The  Treasury  Courtesans,   ....          384 
Persecutions  of  Female  Clerks,  .  . 


XXIII. 

THE  SMITHSONIAN  INSTITUTION. 

The  Building,     .                .                .                .                .  388 
The  Institution,          .....  390 

The  Government,                ....  394 

The  Fire  of  1865,      .               .               .               .  .396 

The  Museum,      .....  396 

The  South  Hall,         .                .                .             ,  . ' ,  .399 


XVI  CONTENTS. 


XXIV. 

GAMBLERS. 

The  Game,          .....          401 
The  Players,  .  .  .  .  .403 

Second-Class  Houses,          ....          405 
A  Congressional  Gambler,          .  .  ...  407 

XXV. 

THE  NATIONAL  OBSERVATORY. 

The  Chronometers,              .•  .                 .                   4         412 

The  Equatorial,          .            '  .&  ,                .                   413 

The  Transit  Instrument,  ,           414 

The  Great  Astronomical  Clock,  .               .                •.  415 

XXVI. 

SOCIETY. 
Society  Before  the  War,     .  .  .  .416 

Society  To-Day,         .....  420 

The  Social  Code,  .  .  .  .421 

Titles,         .  .  .  .  .  .423 

An  Inside  View  of  Society,  .  .  .          425 

The  Receptions,          .....  431 

Residences  of  Celebrities,    ....          435 

\ 

XXVII. 

THE  OLD  CAPITOL. 

The  Old  Capitol,  ,  ,  t  .438 


CONTENTS.  XV11 

PAOB 

XXVIII. 

HOTELS  AND  BOARDING-HOUSES. 

The  Hotels,        .  .  .  442 

Boarding- Houses,        .....  444 

XXIX. 

THE   CONGRESSIONAL  CEMETERY. 
The  Cemetery,    .  .  .  .  .447 

XXX. 

PLACES    OF    AMUSEMENT. 
The  Canterburies,      .  452 

XXXL 

FORD'S  THEATRE. 
The  Army  Medical  Museum,  .  .  .          455 

XXXII. 

THE   SOCIAL   EVIL. 

Houses  of  111  Fame,  .....  458 
The  Guests,         .  .  .  .  .459 

Assignation  Houses,   .....  460 

XXXIII. 

THE   ARSENAL. 

The  Grave  of  John  Wilkes  Booth,     .  .  .          463 

The  Old  Penitentiary,  ....  464 

2 


XVlii  CONTENTS. 

rial 

XXXIV. 

THE  WASHINGTON  MONUMENT. 
The  Monument,  .....          466 

XXXV. 

GENERAL   GRANT. 

His  Residence,  .....  472 

His  Headquarters,  ...  .  .          474 

His  Cigar,  .  .  .  .  .  .474 

XXXVI. 

THE  GOVERNMENT   PRINTING-OFFICE. 
Inside,  .  .  .  .  .477 

The  Bullock  Press,     .  .  t  .  .478 

Some  Figures,     .....          480 
Government  Literature,      .         .  .  .  .  482 

XXXVII. 

HOW  THE   PEOPLE'S   MONEY  IS  SQUANDERED. 

The  Patent  Office  Frauds,  .  .  .  .          485 

Waste  in  the  Government,  ....  490 

xxxvm. 

THE   FREEDMEN. 

Arlington  Village,  .  .  .  499 

XXXIX. 

MUNICIPAL  AFFAIRS. 
The  City  Hall,  .  .  .  .  .  .501 


CONTENTS.  XIX 


PAGE 


The  Statue  of  Linooln,  ....  502 
The  Washington  Churches,  ....  502 
Art  Galleries,  .....  603 

The  Markets,  .  .  .  .  .503 

The  Public  Schools,  .  .  .  .504 

The  Water  Works,     .  .  f  .  .505 

Public  Grounds,  .  .  509 

The  Press,  ,  .  .  .  .610 

XL. 

IMPOSTORS. 
Bogus  Congressmen,  .  .  ,  511 


THE  SIGHTS  ATO  SECRETS 


07   THE 


NATIONAL    CAPITAL, 


GOING  TO  WASHINGTON. 

AT  present,  there  are  but  two  ways  of  reaching 
Washington  City.  Visitors  from  the  North,  East,  and 
West  enter  the  Capital  of  the  Nation  by  means  of  the 
Washington  Branch  of  the  Baltimore  and  Ohio  Rail 
road,  which  they  reach  either  at  Baltimore,  or  at  the 
Relay  House,  nine  miles  west  of  that  city ;  and  those 
from  the  South  arrive  by  the  Potomac  River. 

BY   BAIL. 

The  traveller  by  Railroad,  after  leaving  the  Relay 
House,  passes  through  a  country  naturally  rich  and 
full  of  resources,  but  sadly  neglected  by  tha  inhabit 
ants.  The  land  is  good,  but  has  not  received  the  care 
ful  cultivation  which  has  so  benefited  those  sections  of 
the  Union  blessed  with  white  labor.  The  farms,  with 
»  few  exceptions,  have  a  dilapidated  appearance,  and 


22  THE   SIGHTS    AND    SECRETS 

the  people  generally  are  extremely  rustic  and  "  old- 
tirney." 

Between  the  Relay  House  and  Laurel  Factory,  the 
road  runs  along  the  dividing  line  of  Howard  and 
Anne  Arundel  Counties,  the  former  being  on  the  right 
and  the  latter  on  the  left  of  the  train  moving  towards 
Washington.  Upon  reaching  Laurel  Factory,  the  Pa- 
tuxent  River,  here  a  mere  creek,  is  crossed,  and  the 
traveller  enters  Prince  George  County,  the  great  to 
bacco-producing  section  of  Maryland.  The  system  of 
agriculture  is  better  in  this  county  than  in  those  just 
mentioned,  but  is  still  behind  that  of  the  white-labor 
States.  The  road  passes  some  fine  farms,  and  the 
traveller  catches  a  distant  view  of  the  Maryland  Agri 
cultural  College,  which  institution,  it  is  to  be  hoped, 
will  do  much  towards  improving  the  farming  system 
of  the  State.  Pine  thickets,  scrub  forests,  and  swampy 
lands  are  in  abundance.  The  stations,  with  the  excep 
tion  of  the  Relay,  Laurel,  and  Bladensburg,  are  mere 
hamlets,  springing  up  in  the  midst  of  lonely  pine 
woods,  which  give  to  them  an  infinitely  desolate  ap 
pearance. 

Bladensburg  gives  warning  that  the  traveller 
through  this  lonely  region  is  once  more  approaching 
life  and  civilization.  It  is  a  quiet,  peaceful  little  vil 
lage,  situated  on  the  Eastern  Branch  of  the  Potomac, 
in  Prince  George  County,  Maryland,  and  is  only  a 
short  distance  from  the  boundary-line  of  the  District 
of  Columbia.  The  country  here  loses  its  flat,  marshy 
character,  and  rises  in  a  succession  of  hills  towards  the 
Potomac.  On  either  side  of  the  road,  we  see,  crown- 


OF   THE   NATIONAL    CAPITAL.  23 

ing  these  eminences,  the  grim  red  lines  of  the  earth 
works  built  for  the  defence  of  the  Capital ;  each  with 
its  lonely,  towering  flag-staff  from  which  once  flapped 
jn  defiant  pride  the  starry  banner  of  the  Reptfblic, 
standing  out  against  the  blue  sky  like  so  many  ghostly 
sentinels  keeping  solemn  watch  over  the  scenes  they 
once  guarded  so  well.  A  swift  plunge  of  the  train 
into  a  deep  cutting,  and  we  are  whirled  through  this 
now  historic  ridge,  and  in  a  few  minutes  are  steaming 
through  the  suburbs  of  Washington. 

The  first  glimpses  of  the  Federal  City  are  not 
pleasant.  The  train  passes  through  a  succession  of  old 
fields,  over  which  are  widely  scattered  a  few  dirty, 
dingy  frame  houses.  Some  of  these  aspire  to  the  dig 
nity  of  p^dnt,  but  the  majority  are  ornamented  with 
whitewash.  Very  few  have  yards,  and  the  outhouses 
are  so  arranged  as  to  seem  entirely  independent  of  the 
main  structure.  The  fields  are  full  of  stagnant  pools, 
and  the  geese,  pigs,  and  children  swarming  about  them 
appear  to  be  on  a  footing  of  perfect  equality.  The 
denizens  of  this  section  are  both  white  and  black,  and 
both  classes  seem  to  be  very  poor.  They  have  a  de 
cided  "  hard-times  "  look,  and  evidently  have  to  strug 
gle  desperately  with  poverty.  During  the  war  these 
fields  had  a  busy  appearance,  which  makes  them  now 
seem  doubly  dilapidated.  Then  they  were  covered 
with  long  rows  of  cars,  wagons,  carts,  tents,  and  shan 
ties,  and  alive  with  soldiers  and  laborers  connected 
with  the  Quartermaster  and  Commissary  Departments. 
Then  the  inhabitants  of  this  section  drove  a  thriving 
trade  in  newspapers,  cheap  books,  pies,  cakes,  apples 


24  THE   SIGHTS    AND    SECRETS 

tol  acco,  and  contraband  liquids.  The  war  was  a  God 
send  to  them,  and  it  is  not  improbable  that  some  of  the 
most  enterprising  and  thrifty  will,  if  they  have  not 
already  done  so,  date  their  rise  to  fortune  from  the 
"start"  which  this  trade  gave  them. 

Passing  on,  with  slackened  speed,  the  train  enters 
the  grounds  belonging  to  the  railroad  company.  Loom 
ing  up  on  the  left  is  the  huge  white  dome  of  the  Cap 
itol,  and  to  the  right  the  city  proper  is  in  full  view. 
A  few  moments  more,  and  the  cars  are  standing  in  the 
station,  and  the  passengers  are  descending  to  the  plat 
form. 

Hurrying  through  a  dirty,  cheerless  hall,  the  trav 
eller  passes  out  of  the  building  into  New  Jersey 
Avenue.  He  is  greeted  by  a  series  of  shouts  and  yells 
which  startle  and  bewilder  him  unless  he  be  a  man  of 
uncommon  nerve.  A  dense  line  of  omnibuses  and 
hacks  is  drawn  up  before  the  Station,  and  scores  of 
porters  and  drivers  are  crowded  around  the  station 
entrance,  each  and  all  yelling  at  the  top  of  their  lungs 
the  names  and  merits  of  their  respective  hotels. 
"Metropolitan  'otel,  Sir,  best  'ouse  in  the  City,  Sir." 
"National,  Sir,  National.  This  way,  Sir.  Only  first 
class  'ouse  in  Washington."  "  Willard's.  Whose 
a-goin'  to  Willard's?  Every  gentleman  knows  Wil- 
lardV  "Hack,  Sir."  "Carriage,  Sir.  Take  you 
anywhere  in  the  City,  Sir,  cheap."  These,  and  a  hun 
dred  other  cries,  shouted  as  only  Hibernian  and  Afri 
can  voices  can  shout  them,  tell  the  stranger  that  he  is 
in  the  Capital  of  his  country. 


OP   THE   NATIONAL    CAPITAL. 


BY   STEAMBOAT. 


Travellers  from  the  South — in  short,  all  who  ap 
proach  the  city  from  Virginia — take  a  steamer  for  that 
purpose  either  at  Acquia  Creek,  or  at  Alexandria. 
The  former  place  is  fifty-five  miles  from  Washington, 
the  latter  eight  miles.  The  Aquia  Creek  boat  passes 
nearly  all  the  points  on  the  lower  Potomac  made  fa 
mous  during  the  late  war,  and  also  affords  a  view  of 
Mount  Vernon  and  Fort  Washington.  After  passing 
Mount  Vernon,  and  sweeping  around  a  graceful  bend 
in  the  stream,  the  cities  of  Alexandria  and  Washing 
ton  come  in  sight  at  the  same  moment — the  one  in 
plain  view,  and  the  ether  surrounded  by  a  faint  haze. 
The  boat  touches  at  Alexandria  for  a  moment,  and 
then  speeds  on. 

Washington  is  now  in  full  view.  The  gigantic 
Capitol  looms  gradually  up  against  the  sky,  with  the 
sunlight  glittering  on  the  glorious  embodiment  of  Free 
dom  which  surmounts  it.  Below  the  Capitol,  and 
clinging  along  the  river-shore,  are  the  Navy  Yard,  the 
Arsenal,  and  the  Penitentiary.  To  the  left  the  city 
rises  gradually  from  the  river  to  the  high  grounds  in 
the  rear,  and  the  eye  can  easily  distinguish  the  stately 
outlines  of  the  Government  buildings.  The  unfinished 
monument  to  Washington  attracts  but  a  momentary 
gaze,  and  few  think  of  their  remissness  in  allowing  it 
to  remain  in  this  condition.  Georgetown  is  seen  in  the 
distance,  beyond  the  Long  Bridge,  and  Arlington. 
Heights  rise  boldly  on  the  left.  An  excellent  view  of 
the  city  is  gained  from  the  deck  of  the  steamer,  and 


26  THE    SIGHTS    AND    SECRETS 

it  is  a  pleasure  which  should  not  be  missed  by  any 
one  who  can  afford  to  enjoy  it. 

The  steamer  lands  at  the  foot  of  Maryland  Avenue, 
from  which  point  the  street-cars,  omnibuses,  and  hacks 
convey  passengers  to  any  part  of  the  city. 


OP   THE   NATIONAL    CAPITAL.  27 


n. 


THE  CITY  OF  WASHINGTON. 

THE  City  of  Washington  lies  on  the  left  bank  of 
the  Potomac  River,  a  few  miles  below  the  head  of  tide 
water.  It  is  295  miles  from  the  ocean,  226  miles  from 
New  York,  1,200  miles  from  St.  Louis,  432  miles  from 
Boston,  544  miles  from  Charleston,  497  miles  from 
Cincinnati,  763  miles  from  Chicago,  and  40  miles  from 
Baltimore.  It  has  connections  by  railroad  and  steam 
boat  with  all  parts  of  the  continent,  and  the  tele 
graphic  lines  extend  from  it  all  over  the  world.  The 
Potomac  is  navigable  for  ships  of  the  largest  size  as 
far  as  Greenleaf's  Point,  the  site  of  the  Arsenal  and 
Penitentiary.  The  British  fleet  anchored  here  in 
1814,  and  the  frigate  Minnesota  was  launched  at  the 
Navy  Yard  some  years  ago,  and  carried  down  the 
stream  after  being  equipped. 

The  Capitol,  which  is  nearly  the  centre  of  the  city, 
is  located  in  38°  52'  20"  north  latitude,  and  77°  0'  lit* 
west  longitude  from  Greenwich. 

THE   DISTRICT   OF  COLUMBIA. 

After  the  close  of  the  Revolution,  Congress  con 
tinued  to  meet  in  the  city  of  Philadelphia.  In  June, 
1783,  a  band  of  mutinous  soldiers  broke  into  the  hall 
where  Congress  was  in  session,  and  in  a  grossly  insult- 


28  THE    SIGHTS    AND    SECRETS 

ing  manner  demanded  the  "back  pay  "  due  them,  which 
amounted  to  a  considerable  sum.  This  insult  was  felt 
deeply  by  the  members,  and  it  was  agreed  by  common 
consent  that  it  would  be  better  for  the  seat  of  Govern 
ment  to  be  removed  to  a  part  of  the  country  where 
the  danger  of  a  repetition  of  the  occurrence  would  not 
be  so  imminent.  Elbridge  Gerry  introduced  a  resolu 
tion  authorizing  the  building  of  a  Federal  City,  on  the 
banks  of  the  Delaware  or  Potomac,  and  the  erection 
of  buildings  suitable  for  the  use  of  Congress,  provided 
a  good  location  and  the  proper  amount  of  land  could 
be  obtained  on  either  of  those  rivers.  This  resolution 
was  carried  on  the  7th  of  October,  1783,  but  was 
amended  by  a  provision  for  buildings  on  both  rivers, 
and  was  repealed  on  the  26th  of  April,  1784.  Con 
gress  met  at  Trenton,  N.  J.,  in  October,  1784,  and  ap 
pointed  three  commissioners,  who  were  authorized  to 
lay  out  a  district  between  two  and  three  miles  square 
on  the  Delaware,  for  a  Federal  City.  The  next  Janu 
ary,  Congress  met  in  New  York,  and  efforts  were  made 
to  locate  the  district  on  the  Potomac,  but  without  suc 
cess. 

In  September,  1787,  the  present  Constitution  of  the 
United  States  was  adopted,  which  provides  that  Con 
gress  shall  have  power  "  to  exercise  exclusive  legisla 
tion,  in  all  cases  whatsoever,  over  such  district  (not 
exceeding  ten  miles  square)  as  may,  by  cession  of  par 
ticular  States,  and  the  acceptance  of  Congress,  become 
the  seat  of  Government  of  the  United  States." 

This  clause  of  the  Constitution  fixed  definitely  the 
size  of  the  new  district,  and  was  the  first  real  step 


OF  THE  NATIONAL  CAPITAL.  29 

towards  its  acquisition.  Appreciating  the  advantage 
of  having  the  Capital  within  its  limits,  the  State  of 
Maryland,  through  its  Legislature,  on  the  23d  of  De 
cember,  1788,  offered  to  Congress  "  any  district  (not 
exceeding  ten  miles  square)  which  the  Congress  may 
fix  upon  and  accept  for  the  seat  of  Government  of  the 
United  States."  The  matter  was  debated  in  Congress 
in  1789. 

It  was  agreed  on  all  sides  that  the  district  ought  to 
be  located  in  a  section  of  the  country  easy  of  access 
from  all  parts  of  the  Union,  and  ought  to  be  as  central 
as  was  consistent  with  the  wealth  and  population  of 
the  section  chosen.  The  North  and  the  South, — for  the 
sectional  division  of  the  country  had  been  made  even 
at  that  early  day, — each  desired  to  secure  the  location 
of  the  new  city  within  its  own  limits.  The  former 
demanded  that  the  capital  should  be  built  on  the 
banks  of  the  Susquehanna,  and  the  latter  made  a  simi 
lar  demand  in  favor  of  the  Delaware  or  Potomac. 
New  York,  Philadelphia,  Germantown,  Havre  de 
Grace,  Wright's  Ferry,  Baltimore,  and  Conococheague 
(now  Washington  City),  each  had  its  partisans.  The 
controversy  ran  very  high,  and  came  near  resulting  in 
a  serious  quarrel  between  the  States.  On  the  5th  of 
September,  1789,  the  House  of  Representatives  passed 
a  resolution,  "  That  the  permanent  seat  of  Government 
of  the  United  States  ought  to  be  at  some  convenient 
place  on  the  banks  of  the  Susquehanna,  in  the  State 
of  Pennsylvania."  This  resolution  gave  great  offence 
to  the  Southern  members,  and  even  Mr.  Madison  went 
so  far  as  to  declare  that  had  such  an  action  on  the  part 


30  THE    SIGHTS    AND    SECRETS 

of  Congress  been  foreseen,  Virginia  would  not  have 
ratified  the  Constitution.  The  matter  was  made  worse 
by  the  immediate  passage  of  a  bill  by  the  House  for 
the  purpose  of  carrying  the  resolution  into  effect.  The 
vote  stood,  thirty-one  to  nineteen.  The  Senate  amend 
ed  the  bill  by  inserting  Germantown,  Pennsylvania, 
instead  of  the  location  on  the  Susquehanna,  which 
amendment  was  accepted  by  the  House.  The  House 
further  amended  the  Act  by  providing  that  the  laws 
of  Pennsylvania  should  continue  in  force  in  the  new 
district  until  Congress  should  order  otherwise.  The 
Senate  decided  to  postpone  the  consideration  of  this 
amendment  until  the  next  session,  and  the  matter  went 
over.  Germantown  was  thus  actually  chosen  as  the 
Federal  City,  and  it  needed  only  the  consent  of  the 
Senate  to  the  last-mentioned  amendment  to  make  the 
transaction  complete. 

Thus  far  none  of  the  States  but  Maryland  had 
taken  any  official  action  in  this  matter.  The  South 
was  greatly  excited  over  the  course  of  Congress,  all  of 
the  Northern  States  were  not  pleased,  and  the  matter 
was  felt  to  be  a  very  serious  danger  to  the  harmony 
of  the  new  Confederation.  On  the  3d  of  December, 
1789,  the  General  Assembly  of  Virginia  passed  an  Act 
ceding  a  district  to  Congress  on  the  banks  of  the  Po 
tomac.  The  cooperation  of  Maryland  was  asked  in 
inducing  Congress  to  accept  the  offer,  and  a  sum  not 
exceeding  $120,000  was  pledged  for  the  erection  of 
public  buildings,  if  Maryland,  on  her  part,  would  con 
tribute  a  sum  not  less  than  two-fifths  of  that  amount 
for  the  same  purpose.  Maryland  at  once  agreed  to 


OP  THE  NATIONAL  CAPITAL.  3l 

the  request  of  Virginia,  and  pledged  herself  for  the 
money.  Other  States  now  made  offers  of  territory  to 
Congress,  but  no  immediate  action  upon  the  subject 
was  taken  by  that  body. 

The  great  question  which  at  that  time  occupied  the 
attention  of  the  people,  was  the  funding  of  the  public 
debt.  Congress  was  divided  upon  the  subject.  An 
amendment  had  been  presented  to  the  House,  and  had 
been  rejected,  providing  that  the  General  Government 
should  assume  the  State  debts  to  the  amount  of  twenty- 
one  millions  of  dollars.  This  question  had  become 
very  closely  interwoven  with  that  of  selecting  a  Fede 
ral  district.  The  Northern  members  were  in  favor  of 
the  assumption,  but  did  not  desire  the  location  of  the 
district  in  the  South,  and  the  Southern  members,  while 
divided  upon  the  assumption  question,  were  to  a  man 
in  favor  of  having  the  offers  of  Maryland  and  Virginia 
accepted.  Matters  were  at  a  dead  halt,  and  the  future 
seemed  ominous. 

Jefferson  was  at  this  time  Secretary  of  State,  and 
Hamilton  Secretary  of  the  Treasury.  Both  were  anx 
ious  to  avert  the  danger  which  the  vexed  questions 
threatened,  and  after  discussing  the  matter  confiden 
tially,  came  to  the  conclusion  that  a  compromise  was 
necessary.  Hamilton  urged  that  the  South  should 
consent  to  the  assumption  of  the  State  debts  by  the 
Government,  and  declared  that  he  felt  sure  if  they 
would  do  this,  the  North  would  agree  to  locate  the 
Capital  on  the  Potomac.  It  was  decided  that  Jefferson 
should  ask  the  members  whose  votes  would  accomplish 
this,  to  dine  with  him  the  next  day,  and  lay  the  matter 


82  THE    SIGHTS    AND    SECRETS 

before  them.  The  dinner  was  given,  the  plan  proposed 
by  Hamilton  discussed,  and  a  sufficient  number  of  votes 
pledged  for  the  assumption  bill.  Hamilton  undertook 
to  win  over  the  Northern  members  to  the  Capital 
scheme,  and  succeeded.  The  assumption  bill  became 
a  law,  and  Congress,  in  the  following  Act,  definitely 
accepted  the  offer  of  Maryland  and  Virginia  : 


ACT  for  establishing  the  temporary  and  perma 
nent  seat  of  the  government  of  the  United  States. 

"  SEC.  1.  Be  it  enacted,  by  ilie  Senate  and  House  of 
Representatives  of  tlie  United  States  of  America  in 
Congress  assembled,  That  a  district  of  territory,  not 
exceeding  ten  miles  square,  to  be  located  as  hereafter 
directed,  on  the  river  Potomac,  at  some  space  between 
the  mouths  of  the  Eastern  Branch  and  Conococheague, 
be,  and  the  same  is  hereby,  accepted  for  the  permanent 
seat  of  the  government  of  the  United  States  :  Pro 
vided,  nevertheless,  That  the  operation  of  the  laws 
of  the  State  within  such  district  shall  not  be  affected 
by  this  acceptance  until  the  time  fixed  for  the  removal 
of  the  government  thereto,  and  nntil  Congress  shall 
otherwise  by  law  provide. 

"SEC.  2.  And  be  it  further  enacted,  That  the  Pres 
ident  of  the  United  States  be  authorized  to  appoint, 
and  by  supplying  vacancies  happening  from  refusals  to 
act,  or  other  causes,  to  keep  in  appointment  as  long  as 
may  be  necessary,  three  Commissioners,  who,  or  any 
two  of  whom,  shall,  under  the  direction  of  the  Pres 
ident,  survey,  and  by  proper  metes  and  bounds  define 
and  limit  a  district  of  territory,  under  the  limitations 


OP   THE   NATIONAL    CAPITAL.  83 

above  mentioned  ;  and  the  district  so  defined,  limited, 
and  located,  shall  be  deemed  the  district  accepted  by 
this  act  for  the  permanent  seat  of  the  government  of 
the  United  States. 

"  SEC.  3.  And  be  it  enacted,  That  the  said  Commis 
sioners,  or  any  two  of  them,  shall  have  power  to  pur 
chase  or  accept  such  quantity  of  land  on  the  eastern 
side  of  the  said  river,  within  the  said  district,  as  the 
President  shall  deem  proper  for  the  use  of  the  United 
States  :  and,  according  to  such  plans  as  the  President 
ehall  approve,  the  said  Commissioners,  or  any  two  of 
them,  shall,  prior  to  the  first  Monday  in  December,  in 
the  year  one  thousand  eight  hundred,  provide  suita 
ble  buildings  for  the  accommodation  of  Congress,  and 
of  the  President,  and  for  the  public  offices  of  the  gov 
ernment  of  the  United  States. 

"  SEC.  4.  And  be  it  enacted,  That,  for  defraying  the 
expense  of  such  purchases  and  buildings,  the  President 
of  the  United  States  be  authorized  and  requested  to 
accept  grants  of  money. 

"  SEC.  5.  And  be  it  enacted,  That,  prior  to  the  first 
Monday  in  December  next,  all  officers  attached  to  the 
seat  of  government  of  the  United  States  shall  be  re 
moved  to,  and,  until  the  said  first  Monday  in  De 
cember,  in  the  year  one  thousand  eight  hundred,  shall 
remain  at  the  city  of  Philadelphia,  in  the  State  of 
Pennsylvania,  at  which  place  the  session  of  Congress 
next  ensuing  the  present  shall  be  held. 

"  SEC.  6.  And  be  it  enacted,  That  on  the  said  first  Mon 
day  in  December,  in  the  year  one  thousand  eight  hun 
dred,  the  seat  of  government  of  the  United  States 
3 


34  THE    SIGHTS    AND    SECEETS 

shall,  by  virtue  of  this  act,  be  transferred  to  the  dis- 
trict  and  place  aforesaid.  And  all  the  offices  attached 
to  the  seat  of  government  shall  accordingly  be  re 
moved  thereto  by  their  respective  holders,  and  shall, 
after  the  said  day,  cease  to  be  exercised  elsewhere ;  and 
that  the  necessary  expense  of  such  removal  shall  be 
defrayed  out  of  the  duties  on  imposts  and  tonnage,  of 
which  a  sufficient  sum  is  hereby  appropriated. 
"  Approved,  July  16,  1T90. 

"  GEOEGE  WASHINGTON, 
"  President  of  the  United  States? 

On  the  19th  of  December,  1791,  the  Legislature 
of  Maryland  passed  the  following  act  ratifying  and 
confirming  the  cession  of  the  District  of  Columbia : 

"  Be  it  enacted  ~by  the  General  Assembly  of  Mary 
land,  That  all  that  part  of  the  said  territory,  called 
Columbia,  which  lies  within  the  limits  of  this  State, 
shall  be,  and  the  same  is  hereby  acknowledged  to  be, 
forever  ceded  and  relinquished  to  the  Congress  and 
Government  of  the  United  States,  in  full  and  absolute 
right  and  exclusive  jurisdiction,  as  well  of  soil  as  of 
persons  residing  or  V,o  reside  thereon,  pursuant  to  the 
tenor  and  effect  of  the  eighth  Section  of  the  first  arti 
cle  of  the  Constitution  of  Government  of  the  United 
States  :  Provided,  That  nothing  herein  contained  shall 
be  so  construed  to  vest  in  the  United  States  any  right 
of  property  in  the  soil,  as  to  affect  the  rights  of  indi 
viduals  therein,  otherwise  than  the  same  shall  or  may 
be  transferred  by  such  individuals  to  the  United  States : 
And  provided,  also,  That  the  jurisdiction  of  the  laws; 


OF   THE   NATIONAL    CAPITAL.  35 

of  this  State  over  the  persons  and  property  of  individ 
uals  residing  within  the  limits  of  the  cession  aforesaid 
shall  not  cease  or  determine  until  Congress  shall  by 
law  provide  for  the  government  thereof,  under  their 
jurisdiction,  in  manner  provided  by  the  article  of  the 
Constitution  before  recited." 

On  the  3d  of  March,  1791,  Congress  adopted  an 
amendment  repealing  so  much  of  the  act  already  given 
as  required  the  district  to  be  located  above  the  East 
ern  Branch,  and  authorizing  the  President  to  include 
as  much  of  the  Eastern  Branch,  and  the  land  below, 
above  the  mouth  of  Hunting  Creek,  as  should  be 
deemed  desirable.  By  this  same  amendment,  the 
town  of  Alexandria  was  made  a  part  of  the  District; 
but  it  was  provided  that  none  of  the  public  buildings 
should  be  located  on  the  Virginia  side  of  the  Potomac. 
President  Washington  at  once  issued  the  following 
proclamation,  fixing  the  boundaries  of  the  Dis 
trict  :  — 

"  Whereas,  By  a  proclamation,  bearing  date  the 
14th  of  January  of  this  present  year,  and  in  pursu 
ance  of  certain  acts  of  the  States  of  Maryland  and 
Virginia,  and  of  the  Congress  of  the  United  States, 
therein  mentioned,  certain  lines  of  experiment  were 
directed  to  be  run  in  the  neighborhood  of  Georgetown, 
in  Maryland,  for  the  purpose  of  determining  the  loca 
tion  of  a  part  of  the  territory  of  ten  miles  square,  for 
the  permanent  seat  of  the  Government  of  the  United 
States ;  and  a  certain  part  was  directed  to  be  located 
within  the  said  lines  of  experiment,  on  both  sides  of 


36  THE    SIGHTS    AND    SECRETS 

the  Potomac,  and  above  the  limits  of  the  Eastern 
Branch,  prescribed  by  the  said  Act  of  Congress. 

"And  Congress,  by  an  amendatory  act,  passed  on 
the  3d  day  of  this  present  month  of  March,  have  given 
further  authority  to  the  President  of  the  United  States 
to  make  any  part  of  the  said  territory,  below  the  said 
limit,  and  above  the  mouth  of  Hunting  Creek,  a  part 
of  the  said  District,  so  as  to  include  a  convenient  part 
of  the  Eastern  Branch  of  the  lands  lying  on  the  lower 
side  thereof,  and  also  the  town  of  Alexandria ; 

"Now,  therefore,  for  the  purpose  of  amending  and 
completing  the  location  of  the  whole  of  the  said  terri 
tory  of  ten  miles  square,  in  conformity  with  the  said 
amendatory  act  of  Congress,  I  do  hereby  declare  and 
make  known  that  the  whole  of  the  said  territory  shall 
be  located  and  included  within  the  four  lines  follow 
ing,  that  is  to  say, — 

"  Beginning  at  Jones'  Point,  being  the  upper  cape 
of  Hunting  Creek,  in  Virginia,  and  at  an  angle  in  the 
outset  of  45  degrees  west  of  north,  and  running  in  a 
direct  line  ten  miles,  for  the  first  line ;  then  beginning 
again  at  the  same  Jones'  Point,  and  running  another 
direct  line  at  a  right  angle  with  the  first,  across  the 
Potomac,  ten  miles,  for  the  second  line ;  then,  from 
the  terminations  of  the  said  first  and  second  lines,  run 
ning  two  other  direct  lines,  of  ten  miles  each,  the  one 
crossing  the  Eastern  Branch  aforesaid,  and  the  other 
the  Potomac,  and  meeting  each  other  in  a  point. 

"And  I  do  accordingly  direct  the  Commissioners 
named  under  the  authority  of  the  said  first-mentioned 

of  Congress  to  proceed  forthwith  to  have  the  said 


OF   THE   NATIONAL    CAPITAL.  $7 

four  lines  run,  and  by  proper  metes  and  bounds  de« 
fined  and  limited,  and  thereof  to  make  due  report 
ander  their  hands  and  seals;  and  the  territory  so  to 
be  located,  defined,  and  limited,  shall  be  the  whole 
territory  accepted  by  the  said  act  of  Congress  as  the 
District  for  the  permanent  seat  of  the  Government  of 
the  United  States. 

"  In  testimony  whereof,  I  have  caused  the  seal  of 
the  United  States  to  be  affixed  to  these  presents,  and 
signed  the  same  with  my  hand.  Done  at  Georgetown 
aforesaid,  the  30th  day  of  March,  in  the  year  of  our 
Lord,  1791,  and  of  the  Independence  of  the  United 
States,  the  fifteenth. 

"GEORGE  WASHINGTON." 

The  District  was  laid  out  by  three  Commissioners, 
appointed  by  the  President,  in  accordance  with  the 
Act  of  Congress,  in  January,  1791.  These  Commis 
sioners  were  Thomas  Johnson,  David  Stuart,  and 
Daniel  Carroll.  On  the  15th  of  April,  in  the  same 
year,  they  superintended  the  laying  of  the  corner-stone 
of  the  District,  at  Jones'  Point,  near  Alexandria.  This 
act  was  performed  with  the  ceremonies  prescribed  by 
the  Masonic  ritual.  The  District  was  named  Colum 
bia,  in  honor  of  the  great  discoverer  of  the  contin 
ent. 

Having  thus  acquired  a  Federal  District,  and  Lav 
ing  definitely  located  its  boundaries,  the  next  step  was 
to  lay  off  the  new  city  which  was  to  be  the  Capital  of 
the  nation.  This  task  was  confided  to  Major  L'Enfant, 
a  distinguished  engineer,  who  was  informed  by  the 


88  THE    SIGHTS    AND    SECRETS 

Commissioners  that  the  new  city  would  bear  the  name 
of  "Washington." 

THE   FEDERAL    CITY. 

Long  before  the  Revolution,  Thomas  Lee,  the 
grandson  of  the  founder  of  the  famous  Virginian  family 
of  that  name,  declared  that  the  Colonies  would  one 
day  become  independent  of  the  mother  country,  and 
that  the  seat  of  government,  under  the  new  order  of 
affairs,  would  be  located  near  the  falls  of  the  Potomac. 
Impressed  with  this  belief,  he  acquired  large  estates  in 
Virginia  near  the  head  of  tide-water  on  that  river. 
Washington,  when  a  poor  surveyor,  was  struck  with 
the  advantages  of  the  location  for  a  similar  purpose, 
and  when  President,  expressed  himself  warmly  in  favor 
of  its  selection.  His  wishes  are  said  to  have  had  great 
influence  in  determining  the  final  action  of  Congress. 

The  boundaries  of  the  city  are  thus  described  by 
the  Legislature  of  Maryland  : 

"The  President  of  the  United  States  directed  a 
city  to  be  laid  out,  comprehending  all  the  lands  begin 
ning  on  the  east  side  of  Rock  Creek,  at  a  stone  stand 
ing  in  the  middle  of  the  road  leading  from  Georgetown 
to  Bladensburgh  ;  thence  along  the  middle  of  said 
road,  to  a  stone  standing  on  the  east  side  of  the  reedy 
branch  of  Goose  Creek  ;  thence  southeasterly,  making 
an  angle  of  sixty-one  degrees  and  twenty  minutes  with 
the  meridian,  to  a  stone  standing  in  the  road  leading 
from  Bladensburgh  to  the  Eastern  Branch  Ferry; 
then  south  to  a  stone  eighty  poles  north  of  the  east 
and  west  line,  alreadv  drawn  from  the  mouth  of  Goose 


OF   THE   NATIONAL    CAPITAL.  39 

Creek  to  the  Eastern  Branch;  then  east,  parallel  to 
the  said  east  and  west  line,  to  the  Eastern  Branch ; 
then  with  the  waters  of  the  Eastern  Branch,  Potomac 
River,  and  Rock  Creek,  to  the  beginning, — which  has 
since  been  called  the  City  of  Washington." 

The  land  on  which  the  city  now  stands  belonged 
to  Daniel  Carroll,  Notley  Young,  David  Burns,  and 
Samuel  Davidson.  These  genffemen  deeded  the  land 
embraced  within  the  limits  specified  above,  to  Thomas 
Beall  and  John  Mackall  Gant,  trustees,  who  conveyed 
the  same  to  the  Commissioners  and  their  successors  in 
office,  for  the  United  States,  forever.  The  following 
are  the  terms  of  sale,  as  mentioned  by  Washington  in 
a  letter  to  the  Secretary  of  State,  dated  March  31, 
1791: 

"  The  terms  entered  into  by  me,  on  the  part  of  the 
United  States,  with  the  land  holders  of  Georgetown  and 
Carrollsburgh,  are,  that  all  the  land  from  Rock  Creek, 
along  the  river  to  the  Eastern  Branch,  and  so  upwards 
to  or  above  the  Ferry,  including  a  breadth  of  about  a 
mile  and  a  half,  the  whole  containing  from  three  to  five 
thousand  acres,  is  ceded  to  the  public,  on  condition 
that,  when  the  whole  shall  be  surveyed  and  laid  off  as 
a  city  (which  Major  L'Enfant  is  now  directed  to  do),, 
the  present  proprietors  shall  retain  every  other  lot; 
and  for  such  part  of  the  land  as  may  be  taken  for 
public  use,  for  squares,  walks,  etc.,  they  shall  be  allowed 
at  the  rate  of  twenty-five  dollars  per  acre, — the  public 
having  the  right  to  reserve  such  parts  of  the  wood  on 
the  land  as  may  be  thought  necessary  to  be  preserved 
for  ornament.  The  landholders  to  have  the  use  and 


40  THE    SIGHTS    AND    SECRETS 

profits  of  the  grounds  until  the  city  is  laid  off  into 
lots,  and  sale  is  made  of  those  lots,  which,  by  this 
agreement,  become  public  property.  Nothing  is  to  be 
allowed  for  the  ground  which  may  be  occupied  for 
streets  and  alleys." 

The  task  of  laying  off  the  city  was,  as  we  have 
said,  assigned  to  Major  L'Enfant,  who  began  his  labors 
under  the  supervision  of  the  President.  He  proved 
stubborn  and  hard  to  manage,  however,  and  Wash 
ington  removed  him,  and  appointed  Mr.  Andrew 
Ellicott  in  his  stead. 

Mr.  Ellicott  at  once  proceeded  to  lay  off  the  plan 
of  the  city.  After  drawing  a  meridional  line,  by 
astronomical  observation,  through  the  site  selected  for 
the  Capitol,  he  designed  two  sets  of  streets  crossing 
each  other  at  right  angles.  Those  running  north  and 
south  he  distinguished  by  means  of  numbers ;  those 
running  east  and  west,  by  means  of  letters,  taking  the 
Capitol  as  a  starting-point.  Avenues  were"  then  run 
boldly  across  the  city,  at  various  distances  from  each 
other,  connecting  the  most  prominent  points.  They 
were  named  after  the  States. 

Congress  directed  a  series  of  magnificent  improve 
ments  to  be  laid  off,  but,  at  the  present  day,  not  one 
of  these  ornaments  has  been  erected,  with  the  single 
exception  of  an  equestrian  statue  of  Washington. 

The  boundaries  of  the  city  cover  an  area  four  miles 
and  a  half  in  length,  from  northwest  to  southeast,  and 
two  miles  and  a  half  in  breadth.  When  the  plan  was 
completed,  an  act  was  passed  allowing  aliens  to  hold 
lots  in  the  city ;  and  copies  of  the  plan  were  sent  to 


OP   THE   NATIONAL    CAPITAL.  41 

Europe.  Extensive  investments  were  made  by  foreign 
capitalists,  but  in  a  manner  which  proved  unfortunate 
for  them.  It  was  supposed  that  the  best  quarter 
would  be  the  immediate  neighborhood  of  the  Capitol, 
and  the  principal  investments  were  made  there;  but 
the  result  proved  the  neighborhood  of  the  President's 
house  the  most  attractive,  and  the  Capitol  Hill  lots 
were  found  to  be  poor  investments. 

The  law  authorizing  the  removal  of  the  Govern 
ment  to  Washington  City  required  that  the  public 
buildings  should  be  completed  before  the  first  Monday 
in  December,  1800.  This  was  no  slight  task,  as  these 
edifices  had  to  be  erected  in  what  was  almost  a  forest. 
President  Washington  exerted  himself  during  his  ad 
ministration  to  have  the  work  finished  by  the  ap 
pointed  time,  but  labored  under  many  disadvantages 
in  his  efforts,  not  the  least  of  which  was  a  lack  of 
funds.  The  money  advanced  by  Maryland  and  Vir 
ginia  was  soon  exhausted,  and  though  Congress 
authorized  loans  for  the  purpose  of  completing  the 
work,  money  was  scarce  and  hard  to  obtain.  Wash 
ington  made  a  personal  application  to  the  Legislature 
of  Maryland  for  a  loan  of  $150,000,  and  that  body, 
on  the  22d  of  December,  1T96,  granted  a  loan  of 
$100,000,  on  condition  of  the  individual  responsibility 
of  the  Commissioners.  The  money  was  procured  on 
these  terms,  and  the  work  pushed  forward  with  «uch 
energy  that,  on  the  15th  of  June,  1800,  the  Commis 
sioners  reported  the  buildings  ready  for  the  use  of  the 
Government.  The  public  offices  were  at  once  re 
moved  from  Philadelphia  to  Washington  City,  and, 


42  THE    SIGHTS    AND    SECRETS 

on   the   third  of  November  of  that   year,  Congress 
assembled  in  the  Capitol. 

The  new  city  thus  became  the  seat  of  the  Govern 
ment  of  the  Republic,  and  has  grown  steadily  in 
population  and  importance. 

THE  PBIMTTrVE    CAPITAL. 

The  Capital  of  the  country  was  at  this  time  only  a 
city  on  paper.  It  was,  in  reality,  a  mere  village,  and 
possessed  all  the  inconveniences  and  annoyances  of  a 
new  settlement.  Those  who  had  opposed  its  selection 
ridiculed  it  unmercifully  as  "  The  City  of  Magnificent 
Distances,"  and  by  no  means  did  it  justice.  The  Hon. 
John  Cotton  Smith,  of  Connecticut,  thus  describes  its 
appearance,  just  after  the  removal  of  the  Government 
thither : 

"  Our  approach  to  the  city  was  accompanied  with 
sensations  not  easily  described.  One  wing  of  the 
Capitol  only  had  been  erected,  which,  with  the  Presi 
dent's  house,  a  mile  distant  from  it,  both  constructed 
with  white  sandstone,  were  shining  objects  in  dismal 
contrast  with  the  scene  around  them.  Instead  of  rec 
ognizing  the  avenues  and  streets  portrayed  on  the 
plan  of  the  city,  not  one  was  visible,  unless  we  except 
a  road,  with  two  buildings  on  each  side  of  it,  called 
the  New  Jersey  avenue.  The  Pennsylvania,  leading 
as  laid  down  on  paper,  from  the  Capitol  to  the  Presi 
dential  mansion,  was  then  nearly  the  whole  distance  a 
deep  morass,  covered  with  alder  bushes,  which  were 
cut  through  the  width  of  the  intended  avenue  during 
the  then  ensuing  Winter.  Between  the  President's 


OF   THE   NATIONAL    CAPITAL.  43 

house  and  Georgetown  a  block  of  houses  had  been 
erected,  which  then  bore,  and  may  still  bear,  the  name 
of  the  six  buildings.  There  were  also  two  other  blocks, 
consisting  of  two  or  three  dwelling-houses,  in  different 
directions,  and  now  and  then  an  insulated  wooden 
habitation, — the  intervening  spaces,  and  indeed  the 
surface  of  the  city  generally,  being  covered  with  shrub 
oak  bushes  on  the  higher  grounds,  and  on  the  marshy 
soil  either  trees  or  some  sort  of  shrubbery.  Nor  was 
the  desolate  aspect  of  the  place  a  little  augmented  by 
a  number  of  unfinished  edifices  at  Greenleaf 's  Point, 
and  on  an  eminence  a  short  distance  from  it,  com 
menced  by  an  individual  whose  name  they  bore,  but 
the  state  of  whose  funds  compelled  him  to  abandon 
them,  not  only  unfinished,  but  in  a  ruinous  condition. 
There  appeared  to  be  but  two  really  comfortable  habi 
tations  in  all  respects  within  the  bounds  of  the  city, 
one  of  which  belonged  to  Dudley  Carroll,  Esq.,  and 
the  other  to  Notley  Young,  who  were  the  former  pro 
prietors  of  a  large  proportion  of  the  land  appropriated 
to  the  city,  but  who  reserved  for  their  own  accommoda 
tion  ground  sufficient  for  gardens  and  other  useful 
appurtenances.  The  roads  in  every  direction  were 
muddy  and  unimproved.  A  sidewalk  was  attempted 
in  one  instance  by  a  covering  formed  of  the  chips  of 
the  stones  which  had  been  hewn  for  the  Capitol.  It 
extended  but  a  little  way,  and  was  of  little  value  ;  for 
in  di  y  weather  the  sharp  fragments  cut  our  shoes,  and 
in  wet  weather  covered  them  with  white  mortar.  In 
short,  it  was  a  'new  settlement.'  The  houses,  with 
two  or  three  exceptions,  had  been  very  recently  erect- 


44  THE    SIGHTS    AND    SECRETS 

ed,  and  the  operation  greatly  hurried  in  view  of  the 
approaching  transfer  of  the  national  government.  A 
laudable  desire  was  manifested,  by  what  few  citizens 
and  residents  there  were,  to  render  our  condition  as 
pleasant  as  circumstances  would  permit.  One  of  the 
blocks  of  buildings  already  mentioned  was  situated  on 
the  east  side  of  what  was  intended  for  the  Capitol 
square,  and,  being  chiefly  occupied  by  an  extensive  and 
well-kept  hotel,  accommodated  a  goodly  number  of  the 
Members.  Our  little  party  took  lodgings  with  a  Mr. 
Peacock,  in  one  of  the  houses  on  New  Jersey  avenue, 
with  the  addition  of  Senators  Tracy,  of  Connecticut, 
and  Chipman  and  Paine,  of  Vermont ;  and  Represen- 
tives  Thomas,  of  Maryland,  and  Dana,  Edmond,  and 
Griswold,  of  Connecticut.  Speaker  Sedgwick  was 
allowed  a  room  to  himself, — the  rest  of  us  in  pairs. 
To  my  excellent  friend  Davenport  and  myself  was  al 
lotted  a  spacious  and  decently-furnished  apartment, 
with  separate  beds,  on  the  lower  floor.  Our  diet  was 
various,  but  always  substantial,  and  we  were  attended 
by  active  and  faithful  servants.  A  large  proportion 
of  the  Southern  Members  took  lodgings  at  George 
town,  which,  though  of  a  superior  order,  were  three 
miles  distant  from  the  Capitol,  and  of  course  rendered 
the  daily  employment  of  hackney  coaches  indispens 
able. 

"  Notwithstanding  the  unfavorable  aspect  which 
Washington  presented  on  our  arrival,  I  cannot  suffi 
ciently  express  my  admiration  of  its  local  position. 
From  the  Capitol  you  have  a  distinct  view  of  its  fine, 
undulating  surface,  situated  at  the  confluence  of  the 


OF   THE  NATIONAL   CAPITAL.  45 

Potomac  and  its  Eastern  Branch,  the  wide  expanse  of 
that  majestic  river  to  the  bend  at  Mount  Vernon,  the 
cities  of  Alexandria  and  Georgetown,  and  the  cultiva 
ted  fields  and  blue  hills  of  Maryland  and  Virginia  on 
either  side  of  the  river,  the  whole  constituting  a  pros 
pect  of  surpassing  beauty  and  grandeur.  The  city  has 
also  the  inestimable  advantage  of  delightful  water,  in 
many  instances  flowing  from  copious  springs,  and 
always  attainable  by  digging  to  a  moderate  depth  ;  to 
which  may  be  added  the  singular  fact  that  such  is  the 
due  admixture  of  loam  and  clay  in  the  soil  of  a  great 
portion  of  the  city  that  a  house  may  be  built  of  brick 
made  of  the  earth  dug  from  the  cellar;  hence  it  was 
not  unusual  to  see  the  remains  of  a  brick-kiln  near  the 
newly-erected  dwelling-house  or  other  edifice.  In 
short,  when  we  consider  not  only  these  advantages, 
but  what,  in  a  national  point  of  view,  is  of  superior 
importance,  the  location  on  a  fine,  navigable  river,  ac 
cessible  to  the  whole  maritime  frontier  of  the  United 
States,  and  yet  easily  rendered  defensible  against  for 
eign  invasion, — and  that,  by  the  facilities  of  internal 
navigation  and  railways,  it  may  be  approached  by  the 
population  of  the  Western  States,  and  indeed  of  the 
whole  nation,  with  less  inconvenience  than  any  other 
conceivable  situation, — we  must  acknowledge  that  its 
selection  by  Washington  as  the  permanent  seat  of  the 
Federal  Government  affords  a  striking  exhibition  of 
the  discernment,  wisdom,  and  forecast  which  charac 
terized  that  illustrious  man.  Under  this  impression, 
whenever,  during  the  six  years  of  my  connection  with 
Congress,  the  question  of  removing  the  seat  of  Govern 


46  THE    SIGHTS    AND    SECRETS 

ment  to  some  other  place  was  agitated — and  the  propo 
sition  was  frequently  made — I  stood  almost  alone  as  a 
Northern  man  in  giving  my  vote  in  the  negative." 

The  place  was  incorporated  as  a  city  by  an  Act  of 
Congress  dated  May  3d,  1802.  It  grew  very  slowly 
at  first.  It  had  been  expected  that  the  location  of  the 
Government  at  this  place  would  induce  settlers  to  flock 
there,  but  those  who  entertained  such  expectations 
simply  cherished  foolish  hopes.  The  city,  as  we  have 
said,  was  partly  a  forest  and  partly  a  swamp.  The  few 
dwelling-houses  which  had  been  erected  were  small 
and  inconvenient,  and  besides  this,  it  was  for  some  time 
more  than  probable  that  the  seat  of  Government  would 
be  removed  to  some  other  place. 

THE   CITY   BURNED   BY  THE   BEITISH. 

In  1814  the  city  was  captured  by  a  British  expedi 
tionary  corps  under  General  Ross.  Having  defeated 
the  handful  of  Americans  which  opposed  him  in  a 
feeble  manner*  at  Bladensburgh,  Ross  marched  his 
troops  into  the  Federal  City.  The  Capitol,  the  Presi 
dent's  House,  the  Navy  Yard,  the  Departments,  and  a 
few  private  houses  were  burned  by  the  enemy,  the 
Government  having  escaped  before  the  arrival  of  the 
red-coats.  After  completing  the  work  of  destruction, 
General  Ross  embarked  his  troops  and  went  back  to 
the  Chesapeake.  The  Government  returned  to  Wash 
ington  as  soon  as  the  coast  was  clear,  but  it  was  com- 

*  The  marines  an'l  sailors  of  the  U.  S.  Navy  fonght  bravely  in  this 
engagement.  The  bulk  of  our  army — militia — acted  wiih  great  co\v« 
ardice. 


OF   THE   NATIONAL   CAPITAL.  47 

monly  believed  that  the  barbarous  action  of  the  Brit 
ish  had  definitely  settled  the  question  of  removal  in 
the  affirmative. 

"  When  Congress  next  assembled,  the  subject  of 
rebuilding  these  edifices  came  before  that  body,  and 
the  question  as.  to  the  removal  of  the  legislature  was 
necessarily  discussed.  An  effort  was  made  for  the  re 
moval  of  the  seat  of  government.  The  national  feel 
ing,  however,  cooperated  with  other  considerations  to 
influence  the  decision  ;  it  was  voted  not  to  remove, 
and  the  requisite  amount  was  enthusiastically  voted  to 
efface  the  memorials  of  British  triumph.  From  this 
time,  the  corporation  of  the  city  seemed  to  be  ani 
mated  with  a  new  soul,  and  individuals,  relieved  from 
the  fear  of  change,  risked  all  they  had  in  real  estate. 
Landed  property  rose  in  value,  and  hope,  energy,  and 
active  business  took  the  place  of  despair,  listlessness, 
and  wasting  and  repining  indolence.  New  streets 
were  opened,  dwelling-houses  and  stores  were  then 
erected.  The  trade  came  to  the  city,  the  board 
ers  left  Georgetown,  and  came  to  Washington,  and  a 
new  face  -was  put  on  every  thing  in  the  city.  Churches 
were  built,  institutions  of  learning  arose,  and  large,  if 
not  ample  provision  was  made  for  other  necessary  im 
provements  on  the  face  of  nature.  This  work  has 
been  going  on  ever  since  the  close  of  the  war  ;*  but  it 
must  be  pleasant  to  the  citizens  of  Washington  to  re- 
fleet,  when  all  things  are  taken  into  consideration,  that 
they  are  not  indebted  to  the  Government,  in  equity, 
for  one  dollar  for  all  their  grants  and  favors  ;  but  that 

*  The  second  war  with  England. 


48  THE    SIGHTS    AND    SECRETS 

in  truth,  the  Government  is  indebted  to  the  city  fo* 
more  than  a  million  of  dollars,  putting  a  fair  value  on 
the  property  now  owned  within  the  city,  which  cost 
them  nothing.  Blessings  are  said  to  come  in  clusters; 
for  as  soon  as  the  city  began  to  flourish  it  became 
healthy.  The  low  grounds  were  drained,  and  the 
fever  and  ague,  once  prevalent,  is  now  rarely  known 
among  the  evils  of  Washington ;  and  at  present  the 
city  is  decidedly  as  healthy  as  any  in  the  United 
States,  or  perhaps  in  the  world.  The  water  of  Wash 
ington  is  of  the  best  quality,  and  can  be  brought  to 
every  door  in  great  quantities." 

WASHINGTON   BEFOEE   THE   WAE. 

The  rapid  growth  of  the  Union  naturally  produced 
a  similar  expansion  in  the  various  departments  of  the 
Government,  and  the  Capital  become  more  and  more 
important  every  year.  At  first  it  was  the  habit  of  the 
city  authorities  to  depend  on  the  Government  for  ev 
ery  thing,  but  it  was  not  long  before  it  became  evident 
to  them  that  they  must  act  for  themselves  if  the  city 
was  to  grow  at  all.  Impressed  with  this  conviction, 
they  went  to  work  in  earnest,  and  the  place  grew 
steadily  under  their  direction.  Its  present  condition  is 
due  to  the  energy  and  enterprise  of  its  people,  and  not 
to  the  Government. 

Previous  to  the  Rebellion,  Washington  was  a  quiet, 
retired  place,  whose  slow  steady  growth  drew  upon  it 
but  little  of  the  public  attention.  During  the  Sessions 
of  Congress  it  was  busy  and  gay,  but  in  the  long  re 
cesses  it  seemed  to  be  asleep.  It  was  then  insufferably 


OF   THE   NATIONAL   CAPITAL.  49 

dull,  hot,  and  dusty.  Every  body  lived  in  the  expec 
tation  and  hope  of  the  coming  of  winter  and  the  meet 
ing  of  Congress,  with  the  throngs  of  strangers  which 
these  events  were  sure  to  bring  to  the  city. 

As  the  month  of  December  approached  the  town 
began  to  fill  up,  hotels  and  boarding-houses  lost  their 
deserted  aspect,  and  their  proprietors'  grum  faces  be 
gan  to  be  wreathed  with  smiles.  The  Departments 
commenced  to  show  signs  of  life  and  activity.  Clerks 
and  officials,  who  had  dozed  away  the  summer  months, 
assumed  energetic  and  important  airs,  and  every  body 
in  any  way  connected  with  the  Government  seemed  to 
undergo  a  marvellous  transformation.  The  winter  was 
gay  and  lively,  but  when  the  "  Honorable  Members" 
of  the  two  houses  took  their  flight,  the  old  dulness 
came  back  and  settled  over  every  thing. 

THE   CITY   DURING   THE  WAR. 

Previous  to  1861,  the  mass  of  the  visitors  to 
Washington  came  from  the  Northern  and  Southern 
States.  The  West  had  very  few  representatives  ex 
cept  those  who  came  for  office,  and  did  not  exercise  the 
same  influence  in  the  city  as  the  other  sections,  either 
socially  or  politically.  The  Government  having  been 
Democratic  for  some  time,  society  was  strongly  con 
servative  and  Southern  in  its  tone  and  tendencies.  It 
was  exclusive  and  aristocratic,  and  turned  up  its  nose 
at  any  thing  and  every  thing  pertaining  to  the  common 
people. 

The  inauguration  of  Abraham  Lincoln  brought  a 
new  class  of  visitors  to  the  Capital,,  The  hard-handed, 


50  THE    SIGHTS    AND    SECRETS 

ragged  men  of  the  West  came  by  hundreds,  and  the 
other  sections  of  the  country  sent  their  commoners 
there  to  meet  them.  Society  was  astonished.  Caste 
and  privilege  pronounced  the  bold,  independent  new 
comers  barbarians,  but  the  horror  thus  affected  accom 
plished  nothing.  Power  had  passed  out  of  the  hands 
of  the  privileged  few,  and  had  reverted  to  the  people, 
and  a  new  order  of  affairs  had  been  inaugurated. 

The  war  occurring  immediately  after  Mr.  Lincoln's 
inauguration  completed  the  change  in  the  city.  It 
was  no  longer  simply  the  Capital  of  the  Nation  ;  it 
was  also  a  great  military  post.  The  plains  around  it 
were  crowded  with  camps,  sheds,  trains,  &c.,  and  the 
Government  had  filled  with  its  hosts  of  officials  every 
available  building  in  and  about  the  city.  The  streets 
were  full  of  soldiers  and  civilians,  regiments  were  con 
stantly  passing  to  and  fro  through  the  town ;  the 
houses  were  all  decorated  with  flags ;  and  every  thing 
had  an  appearance  of  life  and  bustle.  In  a  few  months 
the  population  increased  from  61,400  to  nearly  a  quar 
ter  of  a  million,  which  was  its  average  size  during  the 
war.  The  correspondent  of  the  London  Times,  re 
turning  to  the  Capital  in  July,  186],  after  an  absence 
of  only  three  months,  thus  writes  of  this  sudden  and 
marvellous  change : 

"  It  is  about  forty  miles  from  Baltimore  to  Wash 
ington,  and  at  every  quarter  of  a  mile  for  the  whole 
distance  a  picket  of  soldiers  guarded  the  rails.  Camps 
appeared  on  both  sides,  larger  and  more  closely  packed 
together ;  and  the  rays  of  the  setting  sun  fell  on  count 
less  lines  of  tents  ag  we  approached  the  unfinished 


OF   THE   NATIONAL    CAPITAL.  51 

dome  of  the  Capitol.  On  the  Virginia  side  of  the 
river,  columns  of  smoke  rising  from  the  forest  marked 
the  site  of  Federal  encampments  across  the  stream. 
The  fields  around  Washington  resounded  with  the 
words  of  command  and  tramp  of  men,  and  flashed 
with  wheeling  arms.  Parks  of  artillery  studded  the 
waste  ground,  and  long  trains  of  white-covered  wagons 
filled  up  the  open  spaces  in  the  suburbs  of  Wash 
ington. 

"  To  me,  all  this  was  a  wonderful  sight.  As  I  drove 
up  Pennsylvania  Avenue  I  could  scarcely  credit  that 
busy  thoroughfare  —  all  red,  white,  and  blue  with  flags, 
filled  with  dust  from  galloping  chargers  and  commis 
sariat  carts ;  the  sidewalks  thronged  with  people,  of 
whom  a  large  proportion  carried  sword  or  bayonet; 
shops  full  of  life  and  activity,  —  was  the  same  as  that 
through  which  I  had  driven  the  first  morning  of  my 
arrival.  Washington  now,  indeed,  is  the  Capital  of 
the  United  States ;  but  it  is  no  longer  the  scene  of 
beneficent  legislation  and  of  peaceful  government.  It 
is  the  representative  of  armed  force  engaged  in  War 
—  menaced  whilst  in  the  very  act  of  raising  its  arm 
by  the  enemy  it  seeks  to  strike." 

All  sorts  of  people  came  to  Washington  with  the 
War ;  and  the  entire  character,  as  well  as  the  appear 
ance  of  the  city,  was  changed.  Whatever  had  been 
the  state  of  its  morals  previous  to  the  great  struggle, 
there  can  be  no  doubt  that  they  were  at  a  very  low 
ebb  during  the  Rebellion.  Honesty,  both  private  and 
official,  was  thrown  aside,  and  rascality  took  its  place. 
Female  virtue  was  at  a  discount.  Jutrigues  and  im* 


52  THE    SIGHTS    AND    SECRETS 

morality  of  all  kinds  became  the  order  of  the  day,  and 
these  crimes  were  unjustly  laid  to  the  charge  of  the 
Washingtonians  proper.  The  truth  is,  that  the  real 
inhabitants  of  the  city  held  themselves  aloof  from  the 
strangers  which  inundated  the  place.  They  were 
powerless  to  resist  the  tide  of  excess  which  so  changed 
the  character  of  their  old  home,  and  so  protested 
against  the  orgies  of  the  new-comers  by  refusing  to 
take  part  in  them. 

At  the  close  of  the  Rebellion  the  army  was  dis 
banded,  and  the  Government  brought  back  to  a  peace 
footing.  There  was  at  once  an  exodus  from  Washing 
ton  of  those  who  had  lived  on  the  public  plunder  dur 
ing  the  four  years  of  the  War.  The  city  had  been 
benefited  in  many  ways  by  the  presence  of  the  army 
and  the  vast  crowd  of  civilians  during  that  period.  It 
had  grown  to  a  considerable  extent,  both  in  size  and 
in  its  permanent  population.  New  interests  had  been 
developed,  and  its  trade  had  received  an  impetus 
which  was  but  the  beginning  of  better  days.  The 
increasing  demands  of  the  Government  brought  many 
skilled  workmen  and  people  of  almost  every  avocation 
known  to  man,  large  numbers  of  whom  came  to  settle 
there  permanently ;  so  that  the  War  left  the  city  far 
more  thriving  and  prosperous  than  it  had  found 
it. 

THE   STREETS. 

A  stranger  has  considerable  difficulty  in  learning 
the  street  plan  of  Washington.  The  thoroughfares 
of  the  city,  however,  are  laid  out  upon  a  simple  plan. 


OF   THE    NATIONAL    CAPITAL.  53 

and  with  reference  to  affording  quick  communication 
between  distant  points. 

The  Capitol  is  the  centre  and  starting  point  of  the 
whole  system.  The  streets  running  east  and  west  are 
designated  by  letters.  They  are  divided  into  two  class 
es  or  sets — those  north  of  the  Capitol,  and  those  south 
of  it.  Thus,  the  first  street  north  of  the  Capitol  is  A 
Street  North,  and  the  first  street  south  of  it,  A  Street 
South  ;  the  next  is  B  Street,  North  or  South,  and  so 
on.  The  streets  running  north  and  south  are  num. 
bered.  Thus,  the  street  immediately  east  of  the  Capi 
tol  is  First  Street  East,  and  that  immediately  west  of 
it  First  Street  West,  and  so  on.  These  distinctions  of 
North,  South,  East,  and  West  are  most  important,  as 
forgetfulness  of  them  is  apt  to  lead  to  very  great 
blunders. 

The  streets  are  laid  off  at  regular  distances  from 
each  other,  but  for  convenience,  other  thoroughfares, 
not  laid  down  in  the  original  plan,  have  been  cut 
through  some  of  the  blocks.  These  are  called  "  Half 
streets,"  as  they  occur  between  and  are  parallel  with 
the  numbered  streets.  Thus,  Four-and-a-half  Street 
is  between  Fourth  and  Fifth  streets,  and  runs  par 
allel  with  them. 

The  avenues  run  diagonally  across  the  city,  cutting 
the  streets  at  right  angles.  New  Jersey,  Pennsyl 
vania,  Maryland,  and  Delaware  avenues  intersect  at 
the  Capitol,  and  Pennsylvania,  New  York,  Vermont, 
and  Connecticut  avenues  intersect  at  the  President's 
house.  Pennsylvania  Avenue  is  the  main  thorough 
fare.  It  is  one  hundred  and  sixty  feet  wide,  and  runs 


54  THE    SIGHTS    AND    SECRETS 

the  entire  length  of  the  city,  from  the  Eastern  Branch 
to  Rock  Creek, —  which  latter  stream  separates  Wash 
ington  from  Georgetown.  It  was  originally  a  swampy 
thicket.  The  bushes  were  cut  away  to  the  desired 
width  soon  after  the  city  was  laid  oft',  but  few  persons 
cared  to  settle  in  the  swamp.  Through  the  exertions 
of  President  Jefferson,  it  was  planted  with  four  rows 
of  fine  Lombardy  poplars, — one  on  each  side  and  two 
in  the  middle,  —  with  the  hope  of  making  it  equal  to 
the  famous  Untei*  den  Linden,  in  Berlin.  The  pop 
lars  did  not  grow  as  well  as  was  hoped,  however,  and, 
when  the  Avenue  was  graded  and  paved  by  order  of 
Congress,  in  1832  and  1833,  were  removed.  The 
street  is  now  well  paved  and  lighted.  It  is  hand 
somely  built  up,  and  contains  some  buildings  which 
would  do  credit  to  any  city.  The  distance  from  the 
Capitol  to  the  President's  house  is  one  mile,  and  the 
view  from  either  point  along  the  Avenue  is  very  fine. 
There  are  1170  blocks  or  squares,  bounded  by  22 
avenues  ranging  from  130  to  160  feet  in  width,  named, 
as  far  as  they  go,  after  the  different  States ;  and  100 
streets,  from  70  to  100  feet  wide.  The  circumference 
of  the  city  is  14  miles.  There  are  199  miles  of  streets, 
and  65  miles  of  avenues.  The  paving  and  grading  of 
th3  streets  has  been  done  almost  entirely  by  the  city. 
The  Government  claims  every  privilege  accorded  to  it 
by  the  original  design,  but  steadily  refuses  to  carry 
out  the  part  assigned  it  by  that  same  plan. 

GENERAL   REMAKKS. 

In  1850,  the  population  of  Washington  was  40,101 ; 


OF   THE   NATIONAL    CAPITAL.  55»; 

in  1860,  61,400.  Its  present  population  is  estimated 
at  over  100,000.  It  is,  as  we  have  said,  vastly  supe 
rior  to  the  city  of  a  few  years  ago.  It  is  being  rapidly 
built  up,  and  the  style  of  the  buildings  is  improving 
every  day.  In  the  neighborhood  of  the  President's 
House  and  Lafayette  Square,  there  are  many  hand 
some  residences.  The  bricks  of  which  the  majority  of 
the  houses  are  built,  are  made  of  clay  found  within  the 
city  limits,  and  are  of  a  bright,  cheerful  red.  The  Bal 
timore  style  is  adopted  in  the  construction,  and  the 
houses  built  within  the  past  ten  years  will  compare 
favorably  with  any  in  the  country. 

As  a  general  rule,  however,  there  is  little  to  see 
after  one  has  explored  the  public  buildings  and 
grounds.  The  city  does  not  offer  many  attractions  to 
a  stranger,  and  few  care  to  remain  after  seeing  the 
National  property. 


56  THE   SIGHTS   AND    SECRETS 


m. 


THE  CAPITOL. 

THE  dome  of  the  Capitol  is  the  first  object  which 
greets  the  eye  of  the  traveller  approaching  Washing 
ton.  The  building  is  situated  on  the  western  brow 
of  a  commanding  hill,  and  overlooks  the  city  and  the 
surrounding  country.  The  site  was  chosen  by  Wash 
ington,  who  was  greatly  impressed  with  its  advantages. 
The  structure  faces  the  east,  its  exact  position  having 
been  determined  by  astronomical  observations.  It 
stands  in  latitude  38°  55'  48"  north,  and  longitude  77° 
1'  48"  west  from  Greenwich. 

The  design  of  the  old  building,  which  is  the  centre 
of  the  present  edifice,  was  drawn  by  Dr.  William 
Thornton,  and  submitted  to  President  Washington, 
who,  in  accordance  with  an  Act  of  Congress  for  that 
purpose,  accepted  it.  Work  was  at  once  begun. 

On  the  18th  of  September  1793,  a  grand  masonic, 
civic,  and  military  procession  was  formed  in  front  of 
the  President's  House,  from  which  point  it  marched  to 
the  site  designed  for  the  Capitol.  Upon  reaching  the 
grounds,  the  Grand  Sword  Bearer,  followed  by  George 
Washington,  President  of  the  United  States,  marshal 
led  the  Masonic  fraternity  between  the  double  lines  of 
the  procession  to  the  Corner-stone.  Their  arrival  at 
the  spot  was  announced  by  a  salvo  of  artillery,  when 


OF   THE   NATIONAL    CAPITAL.  57 

the  Grand  Marshal  handed  to  the  Commissioners  of 
the  District  a  large  silver  plate  bearing  the  following 
inscription,  which  was  read  aloud  : 

u  This  southeast  corner-stone  of  the  Capitol  of  the 
United  States  of  America,  in  the  city  of  Washington, 
was  laid  on  the  18th  day  of  September,  1793,  in  the 
thirteenth  year  of  American  Independence,  in  the  first 
year  of  the  second  term  of  the  Presidency  of  George 
Washington,  whose  virtues  in  the  civil  administration 
of  his  country  have  been  so  conspicuous  and  beneficial, 
as  his  military  valor  and  prudence  have  been  useful  in 
establishing  her  liberties,  and  in  the  year  of  Masonry, 
5793,  by  the  President  of  the  United  States,  in  con 
cert  with  the  Grand  Lodge  of  Maryland,  several  lodges 
under  its  jurisdiction,  and  Lodge  No.  22  from  Alexan 
dria,  Virginia. 

"  Thomas  Johnson.  David  Stuart,  and  Daniel  Car 
roll,  Commissioners ;  Joseph  Clarke,  R.  W.  G.  M. 
P.  T. ;  James  Hoban  and  Stephen  Hallet,  Architects  ; 
Collin  Williamson,  M.  Mason." 

The  artillery  again  discharged  a  volley,  and  the 
plate  was  delivered  to  the  President,  who,  attended  by 
the  Acting  Grand  Master  and  three  Worshipful  Mas 
ters  of  the  Masonic  Fraternity,  deposited  the  plate  on 
the  corner-stone,  and  poured  corn,  wine,  and  oil  upon 
it.  A  prayer  was  then  offered,  the  Masonic  rites  per 
taining  to  such  occasions  were  celebrated,  an  oration 
was  delivered  by  the  Acting  Grand  Master,  and  the 
ceremonies  concluded  amidst  the  thunders  of  the  artil 
lery  and  the  cheers  of  the  multitude.  The  company 
then  partook  of  a  sumptuous  feast  which  had  been 


58  THE   SIGHTS    AND    SECRETS 

prepared  close  by,  and  a  discharge  of  artillery  at  sun 
set  closed  the  day. 

The  work  was  pushed  forward  as  rapidly  as  possi 
ble,  and  the  North  wing  was  ready  for  the  use  of  Con 
gress  in  the  Summer  of  1800.  The  walls  of  the 
South  wing  were  carried  up  twenty  feet,  and  roofed 
over  for  the  temporary  accommodation  of  the  House 
of  Representatives,  the  North  wing  being  assigned  to 
the  Senate.  This  building  was  styled  the  "  oven,"  and 
was  used  by  the  House  from  1802  until  1804,  when 
the  roof  was  removed,  and  the  building  completed  by 
Mr.  Benjamin  H.  Latrobe,  the  Engineer.  In  the 
meantime  the  House  sat  in  the  room  used  for  the  Li 
brary  of  Congress,  which  was  on  the  West  side  of  the 
North  wing.  In  1808,  the  South  wing  being  suffi 
ciently  advanced  to  permit  the  hall  to  be  used,  the 
House  returned  to  its  old  quarters. 

The  House  wing  was  finished  in  1811,  and  the  hall 
was  regarded  as  a  very  beautiful  work  of  art.  It  was 
semicircular  in  form,  with  a  vaulted  wooden  ceiling, 
and  was  handsomely  ornamented  by  various  appropri 
ate  devices.  The  Senate  wing  was  not  so  handsomely 
finished.  It  was  merely  a  temporary  affair  in  its  in 
ternal  arrangements,  and  was  intended  to  be  succeeded 
by  a  much  more  elaborate  structure.  The  walls  of 
both  wings  were  constructed  of  sandstone,  procured 
from  an  island  in  Acquia  Creek,  in  Virginia.  The  cen 
tral  building  was  not  yet  begun,  and  the  two  halls 
were  connected  by  a  covered  wooden  passage-way. 

On  the  28th  of  August  1814,  the  British  burned 
the  interior  of  both  wings.  Fortunately  the  outer 


OF   THE    NATIONAL   CAPITAL.  59 

walls  remained  uninjured.  Mr.  Latrobe  was  appointed 
by  Congress  to  superintend  the  reconstruction  of  the 
building.  He  remained  in  charge  of  the  work  until 
December  1817,  when  he  resigned  his  position,  and 
was  succeeded  by  Charles  Bulfinch.  On  the  24th  of 
March  1818,  the  foundation  of  the  central  building 
was  laid,  and  the  entire  edifice  was  completed  in  1825, 
according  to  the  original  plan  of  Dr.  Thornton. 

Upon  returning  to  Washington  after  the  destruc 
tion  of  the  Capitol  by  the  British,  Congress  sat  in  the 
building  used  by  the  Post  Office  Department.  On  the 
8th  of  December  1815,  an  act  was  passed  leasing  a 
building  situated  on  the  Eastern  side  of  the  Capitol 
Park.  Congress  sat  in  this  building  for  ten  years,  and 
from  this  circumstance  it  gained  the  name  of  the  "  Old 
Capitol."  It  acquired  a  not  very  pleasant  reputation 
during  the  late  war  as  a  Government  prison. 

The  Capitol  of  1825  was  considered  a  grand  affair, 
and  was  an  object  of  pride  to  the  whole  country  ;  but 
handsome  as  it  undoubtedly  was,  did  not  compare  with 
the  present  magnificent  structure. 

THE   NEW   CAPITOL. 

As  the  Government  expanded  with  the  growth  of 
the  country,  the  old  building  was  found  to  be  too  small 
for  the  requirements  of  Congress,  and  on  the  30th  of 
September  1850,  an  act  was  passed,  providing  for  the 
extension  of  the  Capitol  according  to  such  plan  as 
might  be  approved  by  the  President.  Mr.  Fill  more 
selected,  from  the  numerous  designs  submitted  to  him, 
the  plan  of  Mr.  Thomas  U.  Walter,  Architect,  and  on 


60  THE   SIGHTS    AND    SECRETS 

the  10th  of  June  1851,  appointed  him  to  superintend 
the  work. 

The  corner-stone  of  the  extension  was  laid,  with 
appropriate  and  imposing  ceremonies,  by  the  President, 
on  the  4th  of  July  1851.  The  following  record  was 
deposited  in  the  stone : 

"On  the  morning  of  the  first  day  of  the  seventy- 
sixth  year  of  the  Independence  of  the  United  States 
of  America,  in  the  City  of  Washington,  being  the  4th 
day  of  July,  1851,  this  stone,  designed  as  the  corner 
stone  of  the  extension  of  the  Capitol,  according  to  a 
plan  approved  by  the  President,  in  pursuance  of  an 
act  of  Congress,  was  laid  by 

"MILLARD  FILLMORE, 

"PRESIDENT  OP  THE  UNITED  STATES, 
assisted  by  the  Grand  Master  of  the  Masonic  Lodges, 
in  the  presence  of  many  members  of  Congress,  of  offi 
cers  of  the  Executive  and  Judiciary  Departments, 
National,  State,  and  District,  of  officers  of  the  Army 
and  Navy,  the  Corporate  authorities  of  this  and  neigh 
boring  cities,  many  associations,  civil  and  military  and 
masonic,  officers  of  the  Smithsonian  Institution  and 
National  Institute,  professors  of  colleges  and  teachers 
of  schools  of  the  District,  with  their  students  and  pu 
pils,  and  a  vast  concourse  of  people  from  places  near 
and  remote,  including  a  few  surviving  gentlemen  who 
witnessed  the  laying  of  the  corner-stone  of  the  Capitol 
by  President  Washington,  on  the  eighteenth  day  of 
September,  seventeen  hundred  and  ninety-three. 

"  If,  therefore,  it  shall  be  the  will  of  God  that  this 


OF   THE   NATIONAL   CAPITAL.  61 

structure  shall  fall  from  its  base,  that  its  foundation 
be  upturned,  and  this  deposit  brought  to  the  eyes  of 
men,  be  it  then  known,  that,  on  this  day,  the  Union  of 
the  United  States  of  America  stands  firm;  that  their 
Constitution  still  exists  unimpaired,  and  with  all  its 
original  usefulness  and  glory  growing  every  day 
stronger  and  stronger  in  the  affections  of  the  great 
body  of  the  American  people,  and  attracting  more  and 
more  the  admiration  of  the  world.  And  all  here  as 
sembled,  whether  belonging  to  public  life  or  to  private 
life,  with  hearts  devoutly  thankful  to  Almighty  God 
for  the  preservation  of  the  liberty  and  happiness  of 
the  country,  unite  in  sincere  and  fervent  prayers  that 
this  deposit,  and  the  walls  and  arches,  the  domes  and 
towers,  the  columns  and  entablatures  now  to  be  erected 
over  it,  may  endure  forever ! 

u  GOD  SAVE  THE  UNITED  STATES  OF  AMERICA. 

"DANIEL  WEBSTER, 
"  Secretary  of  State  of  the  United  States" 

The  oration  was  delivered  by  Daniel  Webster. 

The  extension  consists  of  two  wings,  each  of  which 
has  a  front  on  the  east  of  142  feet  8  inches,  and  a  depth 
of  238  feet  10  inches,  not  including  the  porticoes  and 
steps.  The  porticoes  front  the  east,  and  have  each 
twenty-two  monolithic  fluted  columns.  They  "extend 
the  entire  width  of  the  front,  having  central  projec 
tions  of  10  feet  4  inches,  forming  double  porticoes  in 
the  centre,  the  width  of  the  gable.  There  is  also  a 
portico  of  ten  columns  on  the  west  end  of  each  wing, 
105  feet  8  inches  wide,  projecting  10  feet  6  inches,  and 


62  THE   SIGHTS   AND    SECRETS 

X  . 

like  porticoes  on  the  north  side  of  the  north  wing  and 
south  side  of  the  south  wing,  with  a  width  of  121  feet 
4  inches.  The  centre  building  is  352  feet  4  inches  long 
and  121  feet  6  inches  deep,  with  a  portico  160  feet 
wide,  of  twenty-four  columns,  with  a  double  facade  on 
the  east,  and  a  projection  of  83  feet  on  the  west,  era- 
bracing  a  recessed  portico  of  ten  coupled  columns. 
The  entire  length  of  the  Capitol  is  Y51  feet  4  inches, 
and  the  greatest  depth,  including  porticoes  and  steps, 
is  324  feet.  The  ground  actually  covered  by  the  build 
ing,  exclusive  of  the  court-yards,  is  153,112  square  feet, 
or  652  feet  over  three  and  a  half  acres. 

"  The  material  of  which  the  extension  is  built,  is  a 
white  marble  slightly  variegated  with  blue,  and  was 
procured  from  a  quarry  in  Lee,  Massachusetts.  The 
columns  are  all  of  white  marble  obtained  from  Mary 
land. 

"  The  principal  story  of  the  Capitol  rests  upon  a 
rustic  basement,  which  supports  an  ordonnance  of  pilas 
ters  rising  to  the  height  of  the  two  stories  above. 
Upon  these  pilasters  rests  the  entablature  and  beauti 
ful  frieze,  and  the  whole  is  surmounted  by  a  marble 
balustrade. 

"  The  main  entrances  are  by  the  three  eastern  por 
ticoes,  being  made  easy  of  access  by  broad  flights  of 
stone  steps  with  massive  cheek-blocks,  and  vaulted 
carriage-ways  beneath  to  the  basement  entrances." 

The  building  faces  the  east,  and  the  rear  is  in  the 
direction  of  the  principal  part  of  the  city.  This  loca 
tion  was  made  under  the  impression  that  the  neighbor 
hood  of  the  Capitol  would  be  first  settled  up  in  the 


OF   THE   NATIONAL    CAPITAL.  68 

growth  of  the  new  city,  but  the  designs  of  the  projec 
tors  not  having  been  realized,  the  building  now  faces 
the  wrong  way. 

Standing  in  front  of  the  edifice,  and  at  a  distance 
sufficient  to  take  in  the  whole  view,  the  effect  is  inde 
scribably  grand.  The  pure  white  marble  glitters  and 
shines  in  the  sunlight,  and  the  huge  structure  towers 
above  one  like  one  of  the  famed  palaces  of  old  ro 
mance.  The  broad  flights  of  steps  of  the  wings  and 
central  buildings  have  an  air  of  elegance  and  lightness 
which  is  surprising  when  their  massive  character  is 
considered.  The  pediments  of  the  porticoes  will  con 
tain  magnificent  groups  of  sculpture.  The  central 
pediment  is  decorated  with  a  group  sculptured  in  alto- 
relievo.  The  Genius  of  America,  crowned  with  a  star, 
holds  in  her  right  hand  a  shield  bearing  the  letters 
U.  S.  A.,  surrounded  with  a  glory.  The  shield  rests 
on  an  altar  inscribed  with  the  date,  u  July  4,  1776," 
encircled  with  a  laurel  wreath.  A  spear  is  behind  her 
within  reach,  and  the  eagle  crouches  at  her  feet.  She 
is  gazing  at  Hope,  who  stands  upon  her  left,  and  is 
directing  her  attention  to  Justice,  on  her  right,  who 
holds  in  her  right  hand  a  scroll  inscribed,  "  Constitution 
of  the  United  States,"  and  in  her  left  the  scales.  The 
group  is  said  to  have  been  designed  by  John  Quincy 
Adams,  and  was  executed  by  Signer  Persico. 

The  northern  pediment  contains  Crawford's  famous 
group,  representing  the  progress  of  civilization  in  the 
United  States  America  stands  in  the  centre  of  the 
tympanum,  in  the  full  light  of  the  rising  sun.  On  her 
right  hand  are  War,  Commerce,  Youth  and  Education, 


64  THE    SIGHTS    AND    SECRETS 

and  Agriculture ;  on  her  left  the  pioneer  backwoods 
man,  the  hunter,  the  Indian  and  his  squaw  with  an 
infant  in  her  arms,  sitting  by  a  filled  grave. 

The  Southern  pediment  has  not  yet  been  filled.  It 
is  said  that  the  design  adopted  for  it  is  by  William  R. 
Barbee,  and  represents  the  discovery  of  the  country 
by  Columbus. 

The  cheek-blocks  of  the  steps  to  the  central  por 
tico  are  ornamented  by  two  fine  groups  of  statuary. 
The  group  on  the  right  of  the  steps  represents  the  dis 
covery  of  America,  and  is  by  Persico.  Columbus, 
landing  in  the  New  World,  holds  aloft  in  his  right 
hand  a  globe,  symbolic  of  his  discovery.  He  is  clad 
in  armor,  which  is  said  to  be  a  faithful  copy  of  a  suit 
worn  by  him.  An  Indian  maiden  -crouches  beneath 
his  uplifted  arm,  her  face  expressive  of  the  surprise 
and  terror  of  her  race  at  the  appearance  of  the  whites. 

The  group  on  the  left  is  called  "  Civilization"  and 
is  by  Greenough.  A  terror-stricken  mother,  clasping 
her  babe  to  her  breast,  crouches  at  the  feet  of  a  stal 
wart  Indian  warrior,  whose  arms,  raised  in  the  act  of 
striking  her  with  his  tomahawk,  are  seized  and  pin 
ioned  by  the  husband  and  father,  who  returns  at  the 
fortunate  moment,  accompanied  by  his  faithful  dog, 
which  stands  by  ready  to  spring  to  the  aid  of  his 
master. 

The  entire  cost  of  the  Capitol  and  its  improve 
ments,  when  completed,  will  be  over  twelve  millions 
of  dollars. 


OF   THE   NATIONAL   CAPITAL.  65 

THE    OLD    BUILDING. 

The  old  building  is  now  the  centre  of  the  whole 
edifice.  Entering  it  at  the  basement,  we  find  our 
selves  in  a  large  crypt,  whose  vaulted  ceiling  is  sup 
ported  by  two  concentric  peristyles,  of  forty  Doric 
columns.  It  was  the  intention  of  Congress  to  place 
the  remains  of  Washington  in  a  mausoleum,  in  the 
sub-basement  below  this  crypt,  and  Mrs.  Washington 
gave  her  consent  to  the  removal  of  the  body ;  but 
when  the  Capitol  was  ready  to  receive  the  precious 
trust,  the  Legislature  of  Virginia  protested  against  the 
removal;  and  John  A.  Washington,  Esq.,  the  pro 
prietor  of  Mount  Vernon,  refused  to  allow  the  body 
to  be  removed,  on  the  ground  that  it  was  Wash 
ington's  wish  that  his  ashes  should  rest  with  those  of 
his  family.  Having  failed  to  make  the  Capitol  the 
mausoleum  of  the  u  Father  of  His  Country,"  it  would 
be  a  grand  and  glorious  deed  for  Congress  to  secure 
and  place  there  the  ashes  of  Columbus. 

The  vaults  are  massive,  and  are  models  of  strength 
and  durability,  and  decidedly  one  of  the  most  inter 
esting  portions  of  the  building. 

A  narrow  passage,  on  the  left  of  the  Western 
entrance  to  the  crypt,  leads  to  the  Guard-room  of  the 
Capitol  Police,  who  use  the  apartment  to  secure 
offenders,  should  their  detention  become  necessary. 

Under  the  old  Senate  wing  are  the  store-rooms  be 
longing  to  the  Supreme  Court,  where  ^documents, 
papers,  and  books  are  carefully  filed  away.  The  room 
beneath  the  Old  Senate  Chamber  and  the  present 
Supreme  Court-room  is 


66  THE    SIGHTS    AND    SECEETS 

THE  LAW   LIBKAKY 

of  the  United  States.  It  is  semicircular  in  form,  and 
is  of  the  same  dimensions  as  the  room  above,  though 
not  so  high.  It  was  formerly  the  chamber  of  the 
Supreme  Court,  and  is  connected  with  the  room  above 
by  a  winding  stairway  of  stone.  The  ceiling  consists 
of  massive  arches,  which  rest  upon  Doric  columns. 
The  wall  is  lined  with  alcoves,  which  contain  twenty- 
five  thousand  volumes.  This  is  the  largest  and  most 
complete  collection  of  legal  works  in  the  United 
States,  and  one  of  the  largest  in  the  world.  The 
library  was  removed  to  its  present  location  for  the 
convenience  of  the  Court.  It  is  open  from  nine 
o'clock  A.  M.,  until  the  adjournment  of  Congress. 
When  Congress  is  not  in  session,  the  hour  of  closing 
is  three  p.  M.  The  judges  of  the  Supreme  Court, 
members  of  the  Cabinet,  and  members  of  the  Senate 
and  House  alone  are  allowed  to  take  books  from  the 
library ;  but  strangers  are  permitted  to  consult  any 
work  in  the  room. 

The  Court  of  Claims  occupy  the  rooms  under  the 
Library  of  Congress,  in  the  western  end  of  the 
building. 

Passing  into  the  basement  of  the  old  South  or 
House  wing,  the  visitor  is  sainted  with  a  peculiar  odor 
which  a  literary  man  will  at  once  recognize  as  pro 
ceeding  from  freshly  printed  matter.  The  narrow  pas 
sage-way  is  obstructed  with  piles  of  mail-bags  crammed 
full  of  books  and  papers;  and  blotches  of  ink  and 
sealing-wax  disfigure  the  walls  and  stone  floor.  The 


OF   THE   NATIONAL    CAPITAL.  67 

gas  is  kept  burning  constantly,  as  the  full  light  of  day 
rarely  reaches  these  apartments,  which  constitute  the 


FOLDING  BOOMS  OF  THE  HOUSE. 

The  entire  ground  floor  of  this  wing,  consisting  of 
twenty-two  rooms,  is  devoted  to  storing,  folding,  and 
mailing  of  the  House  Documents.  The  whole  de 
partment  is  in  charge  of  a  superintendent,  whose 
business  it  is  to  receive,  register,  and  store  the  various 
publications  of  the  House,  as  they  come  in  from  the 
Government  Printing  Office.  The  speeches  of  mem 
bers  are  also  received  and  prepared  for  mailing  here. 
The  folding  is  generally  done  by  boys,  but  men  are 
required  for  the  heavier  work.  Several  tons  of  mail- 
matter,  from  a  single  copy  of  "The  Globe"  newspaper 
to  a  thousand-page  folio  book,  are  sent  off  daily  by 
the  members  to  their  friends  and  constituents.  Many 
of  these  publications  are  both  useful  and  important, 
but  the  majority  of  them  are  used  merely  as  waste 
paper  by  the  persons  to  whom  they  are  sent.  Thou 
sands  of  books  already  wrapped  and  sealed  for  mailing, 
are  stored  away  in  the  vaults.  Lists  of  their  titles 
are  affixed  to  the  inner  side  of  the  doors  of  the  rooms 
in  which  they  are  kept,  so  that  they  can  be  easily 
found  at  any  moment. 

During  the  great  political  contests  of  the  country, 
publications  and  newspapers  of  all  kinds  are  sent  off 
from  this  room  by  members  ;  and  the  expense  of  this 
pieans  of  electioneering  falls  on  the  whole  people. 


68  THE    SIGHTS    AND   SECRETS 

THE  ROTUNDA. 

Leaving  the  vaults  of  the  old  building,  one  may 
either  climb  the  inner  stairway  at  the  western  en 
trance,  or,  passing  out  into  the  grounds  again,  mount 
the  broad  stairs,  and  enter  by  the  main,  or  eastern 
door.  Let  us  avail  ourselves  of  the  latter  means,  and 
pause  a  moment  as  we  reach  the  splendid  colonnade 
which  is  the  chief  ornament  of  the  portico.  It  is  from 
this  portico  that  the  President  of  the  United  States 
delivers  his  inaugural  address,  in  the  presence  of  his 
assembled  countrymen,  upon  the  occasion  of  his  acces 
sion  to  power.  Only  a  few  months  from  the  time 
these  lines  are  written,  and  the  grounds  below  will 
be  thronged  with  anxious  thousands,  who  will  flock 
thither  from  all  parts  of  our  broad  land,  to  hear  our 
Silent  Warrior  declare  the  policy  which  is  to  guide 
him  as  a  statesman. 

Passing  through  the  massive  doors,  we  enter  the 
Rotunda. 

This  immense  chamber  occupies  the  central  portion 
of  the  old  building,  and  lies  immediately  beneath  the 
dome.  The  floor  is  of  freestone,  and  rests  upon  the 
arches  of  the  crypt  below.  A  line  drawn  across  it 
from  wall  to  wall  would  measure  ninety-five  and  a  half 
feet,  and  the  distance  from  the  floor  to  the  frescoed 
canopy  is  one  hundred  and  eighty  feet  three  inches. 
The  room  is  handsomely  panelled  and  frescoed,  and 
is  surrounded  by  an  ordonnance  of  fluted  pilasters 
thirty  feet  in  height,  supporting  an,  entablature  and 
cornice  of  fourteen  feet. 


OP   THE   NATIONAL    CAPITAL.  69 

"  Above  this  cornice,  a  vertical  wall  will  be  raised, 
with  a  deep  recessed  panel  nine  feet  in  height,  to  be 
filled  with  sculpture,  forming  a  continuous  frieze  three 
hundred  feet  in  length,  of  figures  in  alto-relievo.  The 
subject  to  be  the  History  of  America.  The  gradual 
progress  of  a  continent  from  the  depths  of  barbarism 
to  the  height  of  civilization;  the  rude  and  primitive 
civilization  of  some  of  the  ante-Columbian  tribes ;  the 
contests  of  the  Aztecs  with  their  less  civilized  prede 
cessors;  their  own  conquest  by  the  Spanish  race;  the 
wilder  state  of  the  hunter  tribes  of  our  own  regions ; 
the  discovery,  settlement,  and  wars  of  America ;  the 
advance  of  the  white  and  retreat  of  the  red  races ;  our 
own  revolutionary  and  other  struggles,  with  an  illus 
tration  of  the  higher  achievements  of  our  present 
civilization,  will  afford  a  richness  and  variety  of  cos 
tume,  character,  and  incident,  which  may  worthily 
employ  our  best  sculptors  in  its  execution,  and  which 
will  form  for  future  ages  a  monument  of  the  present 
state  of  the  arts  in  this  country." 

Above  the  portion  reserved  for  this  frieze,  is  a 
series  of  attached  columns,  the  spaces  between  which 
are  filled  with  large,  handsome  windows,  which  admit 
a  sufficient  light  to  the  rotunda. 

Above  this  colonnade  rises  the  dome,  which  con 
tracts  to  a  space  of  sixty-five  feet  in  diameter,  and 
reveals  another  and  a  lighter  colonnade  at  a  much 
higher  level.  The  whole  is  closed  in  at  the  base  of 
the  lantern,  but  just  below  the  lantern  a  large  canopy 
obstructs  the  view,  and  is  covered  with  a  magnificent 

'  O 

fresco,  by  Bruinidi,  which  we  shall  have  occasion  to 
notice  shortly. 


70  THE    SIGHTS    AND    SECRETS 

The  walls  of  the  rotunda,  between  the  pilasters 
below,  contain  eight  paintings  on  canvas,  set  in  pan 
els,  each  painting  being  eighteen  feet  long  and  twelve 
feet  high.  Four  of  these  are  by  Colonel  John  Trum 
bull,  who  was  an  aide-de-camp  to  Washington  during 
the  Revolution.  These  are  u  The  Declaration  of  Inde 
pendence,"  "  The  Surrender  of  Burgoyne  at  Saratoga," 
"  The  Surrender  of  Lord  Cornwallis  at  Yorktown," 
and  "The  Resignation  of  Washington  as  Commander- 
in-chief  of  the  Army  in  1783."  These  paintings  were 
ordered  by  the  Government  at  an  expense  of  $8,000 

V  J.  '  t 

each.  They  are  faithful  representations  of  the  scenes 
and  events  they  depict,  and  contain  accurate  portraits 
of  the  personages  represented.  This  fact  alone  ren 
ders  them  amongst  the  most  valuable  of  the  national 
possessions. 

The  other  four  are  "The  Embarcation  of  the  Pil 
grims  in  the  *  Speedwell,'  at  Delft  Haven,"  by  Robert 
W.  Weir;  "The  Landing  of  Columbus,"  by  John  Van- 
derlyn ;  "  De  Soto  Discovering  the  Mississippi  River," 
by  William  H.  Powell;  and  "The  Baptism  of  Poca- 
hontas,"  by  John  Gadsby  Chapman.  They  were 
painted  by  order  of  Congress,  and  cost  the  Govern 
ment  from  $10,000  to  $20.000  each.  They  are  all 

/  «/ 

faulty  —  the  whole  eight — in  many  respects,  but  are 
still  great  works  of  art,  and  merit  a  careful  study.  To 
our  mind,  "  The  Departure  of  the  Pilgrims,"  by  Weir, 
is  the  best  in  the  rotunda.  No  finer  specimens  of 
manly  and  female  beauty  are  to  be  found  anywhere, 
than  in  the  characters  of  this  painting.  New  England 
still  retains  a  few  women  who  are  blessed  with  the 


OP   THE   NATIONAL    CAPITAL.  71 

loveliness  which  makes  Rose  Standish  so  attractive  tc 
the  gazer,  and  seems  to  have  been  given  what  is  left 
to  us  of  such  men  as  those  whom  Weir  has  chosen  for 
his  heroes.  This  type  of  masculine  beauty  is  found 
chiefly  in  Connecticut. 

Panels  of  arabesque,  in  bas-relief,  ornament  the 
walls  above  these  paintings.  Four  alternate  panels 
contain  heads  of  Columbus,  Sir  Walter  Raleigh,  La 
Salle,  and  Cabot.  Over  the  four  doors  of  the  rotun 
da  are  the  following  alto-relievos  in  stone:  —  "Penn's 
Treaty  with  the  Indians,"  by  M.  Gevelot ;  "The  Land 
ing  of  the  Pilgrims  at  Plymouth,"  by  Causici ;  "  The 
Conflict  of  Daniel  Boone  with  the  Indians,"  by  Cau 
sici;  and  "The  Rescue  of  Capt.  John  Smith  by  Poca- 
hontas,"  by  Capellano. 

A  marble  statue  of  Alexander  Hamilton  stands  in 
the  centre  of  the  rotunda,  and  is  an  object  of  much 
curiosity. 

THE   DOME. 

Leaving  the  rotunda  by  the  north  door,  we  enter 
the  lobby  of  the  old  Senate  Chamber.  The  first  door 
on  the  left  swings  ajar,  and  we  open  it,  mount  the 
stone  stairway,  and  soon  find  ourselves  on  an  iron 
platform  in  a  small  court  between  the  rotunda  and 
the  north  wing.  An  iron  stairway,  winding  around 
the  outer  side  of  the  base  of  the  dome,  conducts  us  to 
a  second  door.  Entering  it,  we  find  ourselves  at  the 
base  of  the  dome,  in  a  handsome  gallery,  which  encir 
cles  the  walls  of  the  rotunda,  and  affords  an  excellent 
and  picturesque  view  of  the  room  below.  The  dome 


72  THE    SIGHTS    AND    SECRETS 

rises  from  the  level  of  this  gallery,  and  is  constructed 
siitirely  of  iron.  It  consists  of  an  inner  and  an  outer 
shell,  joined  and  held  together  by  an  infinity  of  bars 
and  bolts,  and  between  which  an  iron  stairway  leads 
to  the  lantern.  Half  way  up  the  dome  is  a  gallery, 
running  around  the  exterior  of  the  outer  shell,  from 
which  a  fine  view  of  the  city  and  surrounding  country 
may  be  obtained.  Mounting  still  higher  by  the  stair 
way,  we  enter  the  gallery  just  beneath  the  canopy  and 
look  down  on  the  floor  beneath,  nearly  two  hundred 
feet  distant.  The  persons  moving  about  below  seem 
like  so  many  pigmies,  and  their  footfalls  and  voices 
sound  far  off.  Above  us  is 

BRTTMIDl's    ALLEGORICAL    PICTURE. 

The  painted  figures  which  appeared  so  small  from 
the  floor  beneath,  now  seem  colossal,  and  the  work 
which  was  so  soft  and  delicate  as  seen  from  below, 
looks  coarse  and  rough.  The  picture  is  well  worth 
seeing,  and  the  view  from  the  various  heights  is  very 
fine. 

Washington  is  seated  on  the  rainbow  in  glory,  sur 
rounded  by  bright-colored  clouds.  The  Goddess  of 
Liberty  on  his  right  holds  a  scroll  towards  him,  and 
on  his  left  is  the  winged  representation  of  Fame  and 
Victory.  Before  the  three  are  thirteen  maidens  with 
joined  hands,  representing  the  thirteen  original  States, 
and  .forming  a  semicircle.  They  hold  aloft  a  bright- 
colored  scarf,  on  which  is  inscribed  the  legend  u  E  Flu- 
ribus  Unum?  They  are  arranged  geographical!}^  and 
not  historically.  Beginning  on  the  left  of  Washington, 


OP   THE   NATIONAL    CAPITAL.  t# 

they  occur  in  the  following  order :  New  Hampshire, 
Massachusetts,  Rhode  Island,  Connecticut,  New  Jersey, 
New  York,  Pennsylvania,  Maryland,  Delaware,  Vir 
ginia.  North  Carolina,  South  Carolina,  and  Georgia, 
The  States  are  distinguished  by  the  coloring,  drapery, 
attitudes,  and  the  leaves  and  blossoms  worn  by  the 
maidens.  The  prevailing  hue  of  the  Northern  States 
is  here  a  delicate  green,  which  grows  stronger  and 
richer  as  the  South  is  approached.  The  staple  produc 
tions  of  the  States  are  used  as  ornaments,  and  aid  in 
distinguishing  them. 

This  constitutes  the  central  group.  Around  it  are 
six  other  distinct  and  characteristic  groups.  We  shall 
begin  with  that  on  the  west,  and  proceed  in  describing 
them  from  left  to  right,  taking  the  position  of  Wash 
ington  in  the  central  group  as  our  standpoint. 

1st  Group.  WAR. — Freedom,  with  drawn  sword 
and  in  full  armor,  has  smitten  down  Tyranny  and  Op 
pression,  and  is  driving  them  away.  By  her  side  an 
eagle  fights  with  his  beak  in  the  same  cause.  Her  ene 
mies  are  overcome  with  terror,  and  are  fleeing  from 
her  presence  in  hot  haste ;  and  with  them  Anger,  Re 
venge,  and  Discord  are  driven  away. 

2d  Group.  AGRICULTURE.  —  In  the  centre  sits 
Ceres,  the  Goddess  of  the  Harvest,  holding  the  horn 
of  plenty  in  her  left  hand.  America,  with  her  head 
crowned  with  the  liberty-cap,  grasps  the  reins  attached 
to  a  pair  of  fiery  horses  which  are  hitched  to  an  Amer 
ican  reaper  and  held  in  check  by  two  stout  laborers. 
Pomona  with  a  basket  of  fruit  stands  by  the  side  of 
Ceres,  and  Flora  kneels  near  the  reaper,  gathering  flow 


74  THE    SIGHTS    AND    SECRETS 

ers,  while  a  child  sports  by  her  side.    The  background 
is  a  tasteful  arrangement  of  American  vegetation. 

3<#  Group.  MECHANICS. — Vulcan  stands  with  his 
right  foot  resting  on  a  cannon,  and  his  right  hand  grasp 
ing  a  hammer  which  he  leans  on  his  anvil.  Machinery, 
cannon  balls,  mortars,  and  other  mechanical  contriv 
ances  are  scattered  around,  and  five  attendants  are 
busy  in  preparing  them  for  use. 

4.th  Group.  COMMERCE. — Mercury,  the  patron  of 
travellers  and  merchants,  is  seated  on  a  pile  of  bales 
and  boxes,  holding  up  a  bag  of  gold  to  the  gaze  of 
Robert  Mori-is,  the  Financier  of  the  Revolution.  On 
the  right  of  the  swift- winged  deity  are  laborers  en 
gaged  in  loading  a  truck,  and  on  the  left  two  sailors 
point  to  a  distant  gunboat.  There  is  a  bitter  sarcasm 
about  this  picture,  which  symbolizes  not  only  the  coun 
try's  commercial-  greatness,  but  also  its  ingratitude. 
One  seems  to  detect  a  wild  yearning  in  the  gaze  which 
Robert  Morris  fixes  upon  Mercury's  gold.  The  poor 
man  needed  the  money  badly,  for  after  guiding  his 
country  safely  through  its  pecuniary  difficulties,  he  fell 
a  victim  to  his  own  embarrassments,  and  died  a  bank 
rupt,  in  a  debtor's  prison,  in  which  his  grateful  coun 
trymen  allowed  him  to  languish. 

bth  Gro'up.  THE  MARINE. — Neptune,  in  royal  state, 
is  seen  emerging  from  the  deep,  gazing  about  him  as 
if  to  seek  some  explanation  of  the  mighty  events  which 
are  going  on  upon  the  land  and  sea.  Below  him,  Aph 
rodite,  half  risen  from  the  waves,  is  about  to  drop  into 
the  ocean  the  Atlantic  cable,  which  she  has  received 
from  a  winged  cherub  which  hovers  near  her. 


OF   THE    NATIONAL    CAPITAL.  75 

6th  Group.  THE  AKTS  AND  SCIENCES. — Minerva, 
armed  with  helmet  and  spear,  stands  in  the  centre, 
instructing  a  group  on  her  left,  collected  around  an 
electrical  machine.  These  are  Benjamin  Franklin, 
Robert  Fulton,  and  Professor  Morse.  They  listen  with 
rapt  attention  to  her  teachings.  On  her  left  is  a  group 
of  school-boys  being  instructed  by  their  teacher. 

The  painting  covers  an  area  of  4,664  square  feet, 
and  was  executed  by  Signor  C.  Brumidi,  a  native  of 
Italy,  and  a  naturalized  citizen  of  the  United  States. 
It  cost  the  Government  forty  thousand  dollars. 

THE    VIEW   FEOM   THE   DOME. 

A  stairway  leads  from  the  gallery  below  the  pic 
ture  to  the  base  of  the  lantern,  beyond  which  visitors 
are  forbidden  to  ascend.  A  door  admits  us  to  the 
highest  outer  gallery  of  the  dome.  It  requires  a  fa 
tiguing  journey  to  reach  it,  but  the  magnificent  view  to 
be  obtained  from  it  fully  repays  us  for  all  our  trouble. 
The  air  blows  keen  as  we  pass  out  upon  the  narrow 
balcony,  for  we  are  nearly  three  hundred  feet  above 
the  ground.  The  view  is  magnificent.  The  whole  city 
is  at  our  feet,  with  its  long  lines  of  streets,  its  splendid 
public  buildings,  its  parks  and  gardens,  and  beyond  is 
a  panorama  of  unsurpassed  beauty. 

To  the  northwest  the  high  hills  in  Virginia  and 
beyond  Georgetown  stretch  back  to  the  horizon.  The 
river,  breaking  from  them,  sweeps  away  to  the  south 
east,  and  is  crossed  by  the  canal  bridge  at  Georgetown 
and  the  Long  Bridge  at  the  foot  of  Maryland  Avenue. 
On  the  Virginia  side  the  heights  are  bold  and  pictu* 


resque.  Arlington,  once  the  home  of  the  Rebel  Grene* 
ral  Robert  E.  Lee,  and  now  a  Freedmen's  village  and 
National  Cemetery,  stands  near  the  Virginia  end  of 
the  Long  Bridge.  The  heights  here  are  crowned  with 
massive  earthworks,  which  were  erected  for  the  protec 
tion  of  the  Capital  during  the  war.  They  are  very 
distinct  to  the  eye,  and  with  a  good  glass  every  detail 
of  construction  can  be  made  out.  Pennsylvania  Ave 
nue  stretches  out  grandly  before  us,  and  at  our  feet, 
that  portion  extending  from  the  Capitol  to  the  Presi 
dent's  House  being  handsomely  built  up.  The  various 
objects  in  the  city  can  be  distinctly  made  out,  for  the 
whole  town  is  splendidly  mapped  out  below  us.  To  the 
westward  the  eye  ranges  over  a  vast  tract  of  country 
in  Virginia,  and  to  the  southwest  the  city  of  Alexan 
dria,  eight  miles  distant,  is  in  full  view.  The  Potomac, 
here  over  a  mile  wide,  sweeps  majestically  by  the  city, 
and  disappears  amidst  the  southwestern  woods  which 
shut  in  the  view.  To  the  south  are  the  Eastern  Branch, 
the  Navy  Yard,  the  Insane  Asylum,  and  beyond,  the 
hills  crowned  with  the  red  earthworks.  To  the  north, 
the  Baltimore  Railroad  is  seen  emerging  from  the 
woods  and  descending  a  steep  grade  towards  the  city. 
On  all  sides,  long  lines  of  fortifications  greet  the  eye, 
each  telling  its  mute  but  eloquent  story. 

In  the  early  months  of  the  war,  when  the  Southern 
army  occupied  Mason's  and  Munson's  hills,  in  Virginia, 
their  colors  could  be  seen  from  this  balcony,  and 
during  the  desperate  struggles  on  the  early  Potomac 
the  smoke  of  battle  frequently  hung  over  the  distant 
woods,  and  the  dull  throbbing  of  the  guns  could  be 
distinctly  and  painfully  heard. 


OF   THE   NATIONAL   CAPITAL.  77 

Descending  as  we  came,  we  pause  in  the  gallery 
under  the  fresco  to  notice  the  ingenious  arrangement 
of  the  gas-lights.  Four  hundred  and  twenty-five 
burners  are  arranged  in  a  circle  around  the  base  of  the 
canopy,  at  distances  of  one  inch  apart,  and  over  each 
one  passes  an  incombustible  wire  connected  with  an 
electrical  battery  placed  between  the  outer  and  inner 
shells  of  the  dome,  near  the  stairway,  on  our  right  as 
we  go  down.  Upon  reaching  the  old  Senate  lobby, 
after  descending  from  the  canopy,  we  pass  into  the  ro 
tunda  again,  and  pause  in  the  doorway  to  notice  a 
large  metal  plate  in  the  side  of  the  wall,  containing  a 
number  of  knobs,  each  of  which  has  its  appropriate 
label  cut  in  the  plate  immediately  over  it.  These  con 
trol  the  lighting  apparatus  of  the  dome  and  the  two 
Houses  of  Congress.  A  pressure  on  one  of  the  knobs 
opens  a  valve,  and  allows  the  gas  to  flow  up  to  the 
burners,  and  a  touch  upon  an  adjoining  knob  causes  an 
electric  current  to  flash  along  the  copper  wire  over  the 
burners,  and  in  an  instant  the  whole  dome  is  in  a  blaze 
of  light.  The  effect  of  this  illumination  is  very  fine. 
The  light  falls  brightly  over  every  object,  arid  when 
seen  from  without  the  dome  seems  almost  on  fire. 

Passing  th  ough  the  rotunda,  and  leaving  it  by  the 
western  doorway,  one  enters  a  narrow  passage  which 
leads  to 

THE   LIBRARY   OF    CONGRESS. 

The  three  halls  which  contain  this  valuable  library 
are  located  in,  and  occupy  the  whole  of  the  western 
projection  of  the  main  building,  and  are  among  the 


78  THE    SIGHTS    AND    SECRETS 

handsomest  and  most  elegant  in  the  Capitol.  The 
main  hall  opens  on  a  portico  of  ten  coupled  columns, 
fronting  the  western  park  and  the  city,  and  command 
ing  a  charming  view  of  the  surrounding  country 
The  main  hall  is  91  feet  long,  34  feet  wide,  and  38 
feet  high.  It  has  two  rows  of  galleries  around  it,  on 
all  four  sides.  These  galleries  are  constructed  of  or 
namental  iron  work,  and  are  reached  by  spiral  stair 
ways  set  in  recesses  at  the  ends  of  the  room.  The 
ceiling  is  of  iron  and  glass,  and  is  both  elegant  and 
tasteful.  The  North  and  South  halls  open  into  the 
main  hall,  are  placed  at  right  angles  to  it,  and  are 
fitted  up  in  the  same  style.  The  rooms  are  painted  a 
light  cream  color  and  are  handsomely  ornamented 
with  gildings.  There  is  an  air  of  quiet  and  repose 
about  the  apartments  which  is  grateful  and  refreshing. 

On  the  24th  of  April  1800,  Congress,  at  the  sug 
gestion  of  Mr.  Jefferson,  appropriated  the  sum  of 
$5,000,  to  be  expended  by  the  Clerks  of  the  two 
Houses,  under  the  direction  of  a  joint  Committee,  for 
books  for  the  use  of  those  bodies  and  the  various  offi 
cers  of  the  Government.  In  1802,  regulations  were 
adopted  for  the  government  of  the  library,  and  a  li 
brarian  was  appointed.  When  the  British  burned  the 
Capitol  in  1814,  the  entire  collection,  numbering  300 
volumes,  was  destroyed. 

Mr.  Jefferson,  with  a  view  to  remedy  the  loss, 
offered  his  own  library  to  Congress.  His  collection 
was  large  and  valuable,  numbering  about  7,500  books. 
His  proposition  was  accepted  by  Congress  in  January 
1815,  and  he  was  paid  the  sum  of  $23,950  for  his  library, 


OP   THE   NATIONAL    CAPITAL.  79 

which  was  at  once  transferred  to  Washington,  and 
placed  in  the  Post  Office  building  where  Congress  was 
sitting.  In  1818  it  was  removed  to  the  Capitol  and 
temporarily  placed  in  a  room  near  the  Supreme  Court 
Room.  In  1825,  it  was  placed  in  the  hall  it  now  oc 
cupies.  This  was  the  nucleus  of  the  present  library. 

In  December  1851,  the  library  numbered  55,000 
volumes.  On  the  24th  of  December  a  defective  flue 
set  fire  to  that  portion  of  the  building,  and  the  hall 
and  35,000  volumes  were  destroyed.  Twenty  thousand 
volumes,  among  which  was  fortunately  the  greater 
part  of  Mr.  Jefferson's  collection,  were  saved,  in  conse 
quence  of  being  in  an  adjoining  apartment. 

The  library  was  at  once  temporarily  removed  to 
another  room,  and  $10,000  appropriated  for  the  pur 
pose  of  replacing  the  works  destroyed.  In  March 
1852,  $72,500  were  appropriated  for  the  repair  of  the 
hall,  and  the  present  library  rooms  are  the  result. 
An  additional  appropriation  of  $75,000  was  made  for 
the  purchase  of  books  in  the  same  year.  An  annual 
appropriation  varying  from  $8,000  to  $15,000  is  made 
for  the  purchase  of  miscellaneous  and  law  books.  The 
total  cost  of  the  three  halls  up  to  the  present  time  has 
been  $280,500. 

"The  portion  of  the  Act  of  Aug.  10, 1846,  requir 
ing  the  deposit  of  a  copy  of  a  copyrighted  book, 
map,  etc.,  in  the  Libraries  of  Congress  and  the  Smith 
sonian  Institution,  and  for  a  long  time  previously  prac 
tically  disregarded  by  authors  and  publishers,  was  re 
pealed  Feb.  9,  1859.  It  was,  however,  re-enacted, 
March  3,  1865,  so  far  as  the  obligation  concerning  a  de« 


80  THE    SIGHTS    AND    SECRETS 

posit  in  the  Library  of  Congress  was  concerned;  and 
*  An  Act  amendatory  of  the  several  Acts  respecting 
copyrights,'  approved  Feb.  18,  1867,  in  default  of  com 
pliance  therewith,  enjoins  'A  penalty  of  twenty-five 
dollars,  to  be  collected  by  the  Librarian  of  Congress, 
in  the  name  of  the  United  States,  in  any  District  or 
Circuit  Court  of  the  United  States,  within  the  juris 
diction  of  which  the  delinquent  may  reside  or  be 
found.'  A  compliance  with  these  requisitions  is  now 
strictly  enforced/' 

In  1866  Congress  authorized  the  transfer  of  the 
Library  of  the  Smithsonian  Institute  to  its  own  collec- 
lectiou,  which  was  thus  increased  by  forty  thousand 
volumes. 

There  are  now  nearly  170,000  volumes  in  the  li 
brary,  and  the  number  is  being  daily  enlarged  by  the 
operations  of  the  copy-right  law,  and  by  judicious  pur 
chases.  An  excellently  arranged  catalogue  has  been 
printed,  and  can  be  consulted  at  any  time  while  the 
library  is  open.  The  whole  system  is  in  charge  of  a 
joint  Committee  of  the  two  Houses  of  Congress,  but 
the  regulations  for  its  government  are  prescribed  by 
the  President  of  the  Senate  and  the  Speaker  of  the 
House.  The  library  is  kept  open  every  day  except 
Sunday,  during  the  Session  of  Congress,  from  9  A.  M. 
until  3  P.  M.,  and  for  the  same  time  on  Tuesdays, 
Thursdays,  and  Saturdays  during  the  recess.  Any  one 
may  consult  the  books  in  the  hall,  under  certain  pre 
scribed  regulations,  but  only  the  following  persons  are 
privileged  to  take  them  away ;  the  President  of  the 
United  States,  the  Vice  President,  the  Members  of  the 


OF  THE  NATIONAL  CAPITAL.  81 

two  Houses  of  Congress,  Judges  of  the  Supreme  Court, 
Cabinet  Ministers,  the  Diplomatic  Corps,  the  Secretary 
of  the  Senate,  the  Clerk  of  the  House,  and  the  Agent 
of  the  Joint  Committee  on  the  Library. 

The  present  librarian  is  Mr.  A.  R.  Spofford,  for 
merly  of  Cincinnati,  a  courteous  and  accomplished 
gentleman. 

The  following  rules  are  required  to  be  observed 
by  all  visitors  to  the  library :  — 

"  1.  Visitors  are  requested  to  remove  their  hats. 

"  2.  No  loud  talking  is  permitted. 

"  3.  No  readers  under  sixteen  years  of  age  are 
admitted. 

"  4.  No  book  can  be  taken  from  the  library. 

"  5.  Reader's  are  required  to  present  tickets  for  all 
books  wanted,  and  to  return  their  books  and  take 
back  their  tickets  before  leaving  the  library. 

"  6.  No  reader  is  allowed  to  enter  the  alcoves." 

THE   NOBTH   WING. 

Let  us  once  more  descend  into  the  crypt  of  the  old 
building,  entering  it  by  the  western  door.  Turning  to 
the  left,  we  pass  through  a  heavily-arched  passageway 
under  the  lobby  of  the  Supreme  Court  Chamber,  into 
the  new  North,  or  Senate  wing.  All  is  silent  in  the 
old  building,  and  the  gas  burns  dimly  and  fitfully  in 
the  echoing  passages;  but  as  we  pass  through  tb« 
glass  doors,  more  bustle  and  animation  greet  us. 

THE   BASEMENT. 

We  enter  a  spacious  corridor,  paved  with  encaustic 
6 


82  THE    SIGHTS    AND    SECRETS 

tiles  laid  in  mosaic,  after  the  choicest  Pompeiian  and 
modern  designs,  and  lighted  by  magnificent  bronze 
chandeliers.  The  walls  and  ceilings  are  splendidly 
ornamented  in  fresco  and  distemper,  the  illustrations 
belonging  to  the  natural  history  of  North  America, 
and  being  painted  from  life.  Whole  days  may  be 
spent  in  examining  these  splendid  paintings,  which  are 
the  work  of  Signor  Brumidi.  It  would  require  a  vol 
ume  to  describe  the  corridors  accurately,  and  no  one 
should  by  any  means  omit  a  visit  to  them.  It  is  hard 
to  tell  which  to  admire  the  more,  —  the  genius  of  the 
artist,  or  the  fidelity  with  which  he  has  copied  Nature 
in  her  minutest  detail. 

Ther.e  are  fourteen  committee  rooms  on  this  floor, 
each  of  which  is  designated  by  the  name  painted  on 
the  door.  They  are  handsomely  paved  with  encaustic 
tiles,  or  the  floors  are  covered  with  luxurious  velvet 
carpets.  The  walls  are  magnificently  ornamented  with 
appropriate  paintings  in  fresc^  and  distemper,  and  a 
massive  bronze  chandelier  hangs  from  the  ceiling,  over 
a  large  table,  surrounded  by  comfortable  arm-chairs, 
placed  in  the  centre  of  the  room.  The  windows  are 
curtained  with  heavy,  rich  hangings,  and  sofas,  desks, 
chairs,  and  book-cases  are  arranged  around  the  apart 
ment.  Each  apartment  has  an  air  of  taste  and  magni 
ficence  which  must  be  extremely  gratifying  to  the 
honorable  gentlemen  using  it. 

There  is  a  restaurant  on  the  east  side  of  the  corri 
dor  leading  from  the  old  building,  in  which  an  excel 
lent  repast  can  be  procured  at  any  time  during  the 
session  of  the  Senate,  legislation  seems  to  improve 


OF    THE    NATIONAL    CAPITAL.  83 

the  appetite,  and  it  is  noticed  that  the  chambers  prove 
excellent  customers  to  these  places. 

The  folding  room  of  the  Senate  is  an  establishment 
similar  to  that  of  the  House, — which  we  have  already 
described,  —  except  that  it  is  smaller,  and  burdens  the 
mails  with  less  rubbish.  It  is  much  handsomer  than 
the  House  folding  room,  and  is  located  in  the  south 
east  corner  of  the  Senate  basement. 


HOW   THE    CAPITOL   IS    WAKMED   AND   VENTILATED. 

At  the  door  of  Room  No.  59,  in  the  southwestern 
end  of  the  basement,  we  notice  a  card  marked,  "En 
trance  to  the  Heating  and  Ventilating  Apparatus? 
As  we  enter  the  door,  a  current  of  air  rushes  out,  and 
warns  us  that  we  are  about  to  enter  a  different  region 
from  that  we  have  been  exploring.  Passing  down  the 
stone  steps,  we  enter  a  narrow  whitewashed  passage, 
lighted  with  gas,  and  lined  with  rows  of  heavy  iron 
doors,  all  of  which  are  securely  locked.  Iron  tubes  or 
pipes  extend  in  every  direction  overhead.  There  is  no 
one  to  be  seen,  and  a  deep  silence  reigns  over  every 
thing, —  broken  only  by  the  monotonous  sound  of  ma 
chinery.  Passing  on  in  the  direction  of  this  sound,  we 
see  two  men  sitting  in  arm-chairs  at  the  end  of  the 
passage.  There  is  a  door  on  each  side  of  the  passage, 
and  an  intricate  arrangement  of  iron  pipes  overhead. 
These  men  are  the  assistant  engineers  in  charge  of  the 
machinery.  They  are  quiet  and  reserved,  and  under 
stand  their  business  thoroughly.  They  are  very  kind 
and  obliging  in  showing  and  explaining  the  machinery 


r 

.  "'. "' 


84  THE    SIGHTS   AND    SECRETS 

as  they  are  fully  aware  that  their  department  is  one 
of  the  most  interesting  features  of  the  Capitol. 

There  are  two  small  engines,  one  on  the  right  and 
the  other  on  the  left  of  the  passage,  which  are  placed 
in  rooms  of  a  slightly  lower  level.  The  cylinders  are 
upright,  and  the  steam  is  supplied  from  the  boilers  in 
the  furnace  room.  They  work  with  a  droning  sound, 
and  the  click  of  the  piston  rods  and  cranks  is  deadened 
by  an  abundance  of  oil.  These  engines  turn  large  fan- 
wheels,  one  of  which  is  eighteen  and  the  other  twenty- 
four  feet  in  diameter,  and  from  which  they  are  separa 
ted  by  glass  windows.  A  door  communicates  with  the 
fan  chamber,  to  which  visitors  are  admitted  if  they 
desire  it ;  but  the  draught  of  air  is  so  strong  in  this 
room,  and  the  revolutions  of  the  fan  are  so  rapid,  that 
one  does  not  care  to  remain  long  in  it.  Opposite  the 
engines  are  immense  iron  cases,  or  chambers,  contain 
ing  miles  of  coiled  iron  pipes.  Steam  is  generated  in 
boilers  placed  in  another  apartment,  and  is  forced 
through  these  pipe  coils,  thereby  producing  a  certain 
and  regular  degree  of  heat.  By  means  of  the  fans,  a 
current  of  fresh  air  is  drawn  into  the  chambers  from 
without,  and  driven  across  these  hot  pipe  coils  until 
it  is  thoroughly  warmed.  Huge  pipes  then  conduct  it 
to  all  parts  of  the  wing,  the  fan  being  sufficiently 
powerful  to  create  a  strong  draught  in  the  highest 
story  of  the  building.  In  this  way,  an  even  and  regu 
lar  temperature  is  maintained  in  all  parts  of  the  Capi 
tol.  The  fresh  air,  after  being  warmed,  is  constantly 
passing  into  the  rooms  and  corridors  through  the  regis 
ters,  and  the  strong  draught  produces  a  thorough  and 
perfect  ventilation  of  the  entire  building. 


OF  THE  NATIONAL  CAPITAL.  85 

The  boilers  and  furnaces  for  generating  the  steam 
are  located  in  an  adjoining  vault,  which  is  placed  at  a 
lower  level  than  the  engine  rooms,  and  which  opens 
(in  both  wings)  into  the  western  court  of  the  old 
building.  The  vaults  would  be  insufferably  hot  at  all 
times,  and  especially  in  warm  weather,  but  for  an  ex 
cellent  arrangement  which  keeps  a  current  of  cool  air 
constantly  passing  through  them. 

In  the  summer  the  building  is  kept  cool  by  shut 
ting  off  the  steam,  and  forcing  the  fresh  air  through, 
the  registers.  The  excellence  of  this  system  is  mani 
fest  in  every  part  of  the  Capitol.  Many  of  the  prin 
cipal  rooms  have  no  natural  means  of  ventilation,  and 
would  be  damp  and  unhealthy  but  for  this  most  in 
genious  arrangement. 

Every  thing  is  kept  scrupulously  neat  and  clean 
in  this  department.  The  machinery  shines  like  pol 
ished  gold  and  silver,  and  you  might  rub  your 
pocket  handkerchief  over  the  floors  of  the  engine- 
rooms  without  soiling  it.  The  engineer  has  several 
assistants,  and  is  provided  with  a  handsomely  fitted-up 
office,  the  perfect  order  and  neatness  of  which  attests 
the  care  and  regularity  with  which  his  duties  are  dis 
charged. 

There  is  an  apparatus  in  the  House-wing  basement, 
in  Room  34,  exactly  similar  to  that  we  have  described 
above.  Besides  warming  their  respective  wings,  these 
engines  also  supply  heat  and  ventilation  to  the  prin 
cipal  portions  of  the  old  building. 

Returning  as  we  came,  we  again  pass  through  the 
corridors  of  the  basement.  Our  attention,  is  called  to 


86  THE    SIGHTS    AND    SECRETS 

two  handsome  bronze  stairways,  leading  to  the  Senate 
Chamber.  These  are  for  the  Senators  only,  and  are 
often  very  useful  in  enabling  the  honorable  members 
to  escape  from  the  persecutions  of  their  "  dear  con 
stituents,"  and  "  gentlemen  who  have  a  little  scheme  on 
foot." 

The  eastern  doors  to  the  basement  of  each  wing 
open  upon  a  vaulted  carriage-way,  under  the  splendid 
porticos  we  have  described.  In  wet  weather,  these 
carriage-ways  are  very  useful,  as  they  enable  per 
sons  to  avoid  the  rain  and  dampness  in  entering  the 
Capitol. 

Water-closets  for  gentlemen,  both  comfortable  and 
convenient,  will  be  found  in  Room  No.  54. 

THE   SECOND    FLOOR. 

Two  handsome  marble  stairways  lead  from  the 
basement  to  the  second,  or  main  floor.  They  are 
situated  in  the  southeastern  and  southwestern  ends  of 
the  wing.  They  are  continued,  on  a  much  more  mag 
nificent  scale,  from  the  second  floor  to  the  galleries  and 
rooms  of  the  third  floor. 

This  portion  of  the  two  wings  is  on  a  level  with 
the  floor  of  the  Rotunda,  and  contains  the  principal 
apartments  of  the  Capitol.  The  main  entrances  are 
by  the  magnificent  North  and  South  Porticos,  which 
are  soon  to  be  ornamented  with  the  superb  bronze 
doors  designed  for  them.  The  doors  of  the  Senate 
portico  will  illustrate  the  events  of  the  life  of  Wash 
ington.  The  House  doors  are  completed,  and  will  be 
described  farther  on. 


Of   THE   NATIONAL   CAPITAL.  87 

Entering  from  the  portico,  the  visitor  finds  himself 
in  a  beautiful  marble  hall,  the  ceiling  of  which  resta 
upon  massive  marble  columns.  The  marble  is  vari 
gated,  and  the  general  effect  is  fine. 

Oil  the  right  of  this  hall  is 

THE    POST    OFFICE    OF   THE    SENATE. 

This  is  a  large  and  handsomely  frescoed  apartment. 
The  principal  feature  is  a  small  and  taSteful  post  office, 
constructed  of  black  walnut  and  plate-glass.  Each 
Senator  has  his  private  box,  in  which  all  mail  matter 
for  him  is  placed,  subject  to  his  order.  Letters  and 
parcels  from  any  member  or  officer  of  the  Senate  are 
mailed  here.  The  room  is  in  charge  of  a  postmaster 
appointed  by  the  Senate.  Mails  are  sent  off  and 
arrive  at  stated  hours. 

The  office  of  the  Sergeant-at-Arms  of  the  Senate 
opens  into  this  room. 

On  the  left  of  the  passage-way  is  the  Stationery 
Room  of  the  Senate.  ..Here  paper,  envelopes,  pens,, 
ink,  and  other  articles  of  stationery  are  kept  for  the 
use  of  the  members  and  officers  of  the  Senate. 

The  door  at  the  end  of  the  passage  leads  to  the 
Senate  Chamber,  and,  during  the  sessions  of  that  body, 
is  in  charge  of  a  doorkeeper.  The  door  on  the  right 
leads  us  to 

THE  LADLES*  RECEPTION  ROOM. 

This  apartment  is  magnificently  frescoed.  The 
carpets  and  hangings  are  of  the  richest  materials. 
Marble  columns  support  the  ceiling,  and  splendid  mir- 


88  THE    SIGHTS    AND    SECRETS 

rors  adorn  the  walls.  The  furniture  is  elegant  and 
luxurious,  and  a  costly  chandelier  hangs  in  the  centre. 
A  door  leads  into  the  private  passage  in  rear  of  the 
Senate  Chamber,  so  that  Senators  can  reach  the  apart 
ment  without  passing  through  the  public  halls.  La 
dies  wishing  to  speak  with  a  Senator  present  their 
cards  to  the  doorkeeper  of  this  room,  and  await  his 
pleasure  in  the  reception  room.  The  apartment  is 
much  frequented  by  "female  lobby  members,"  and  by 
loungers  in  general. 

Passing  into  the  hall  again,  we  cross  it,  and  find 
ourselves  at  the  foot  of  the  stairway  leading  to  the 
third  floor.  On  our  right  hand  is  the  famous  statue 
of  Benjamin  Franklin,  by  Hiram  Powers,  a  fine  and 
life-like  work.  Passing  by  the  stairs,  we  enter  the 
south  corridor  of  the  Senate,  which  is  spacious  and 
handsomely  ornamented.  Half  way  down  the  corri 
dor  are  two  doors ;  the  one  on  the  right  being  the 
principal  entrance  to  the  Senate  Chamber,  and  the 
other  leading  off  to  the  old  building.  At  the  west 
end  is  a  fine  portrait  of  Mr.  Lincoln,  by  Coggeswell. 
A  bust  of  Chief- Justice  Taney  stands  at  the  eastern 
end.  An  iron  doorway  admits  us  to  the  western  cor 
ridor.  The  Senate  Chamber  is  still  on  our  right. 
The  rooms  on  the  left  are  the  offices  of  the  Secretary 
of  the  Senate  and  his  clerks. 

Upon  reaching  the  north  end  of  the  corridor,  and 
turning  to  the  right,  we  enter  the  private  passage  in 
the  rear  of  the  Senate  Chamber.  The  first  door  on 
our  left  standing  open,  we  enter 


THE  VICE-PBESIDENT'S  BOOM. 


OF   THE    NATIONAL   CAPITAL.  89 


THE  PRESIDENT'S  BOOM. 


This  is  a  small,  square  apartment,  but  one  of  the 
gems  of  the  Capitol.  Its  windows  look  out  on  the 
northern  portion  of  the  city,  and  are  draped  with  ele 
gant  and  tasteful  curtains.  The  floor  is  covered  with 
a  rich  carpet,  and  the  furniture  is  simple  but  costly. 
The  ceiling  is  vaulted,  and  is  magnificently  frescoed 
with  representations  typical  of  the  history  of  the  coun 
try.  The  walls  are  adorned  with  large  mirrors  and 
with  portraits  in  fresco  of  Washington  and  his  first 
Cabinet.  At  night  a  superb  chandelier  sheds  a  soft 
and  pleasant  light  through  the  apartment. 

The  room  is  occupied  by  the  President  during  his 
official  visits  to  the  Capitol.  Towards  the  close  of  the 
sessions  of  Congress  large  numbers  of  bills  are  hurried 
through  the  two  Houses,  and  brought  to  him  here  for 
his  signature.  Much  valuable  time  is  saved  by  having 
him  so  near. 

THE  VICE  PRESIDENT'S  BOOM 

is  at  the  opposite  end  of  the  private  psssage-way.  It 
contains  a  large  portrait  of  Washington  by  Rembrandt 
Peale,  and  is  handsomely  ornamented  and  frescoed. 
It  is  much  larger  than  the  President's  Room,  but  is 
more  simply  furnished.  It  is  used  by  the  Vice  Presi 
dent  of  the  United  States,  or,  in  his  absence,  the  pre 
siding  officer  of  the  Senate,  who  receives  his  friends 
and  transacts  much  of  his  official  business  here. 

THE  MAKBLE  ROOM. 

Lying  between  the  President's  and  Vice  President's 


90       ...  THE    SIGHTS    AND    SECRETS 

Rooms  is  a  suite  of  sumptuous  apartments — the  most 
magnificent  in  the  building — known  as  the  Marble 
Room.  The  total  length  of  the  three  rooms  is  about 
35  feet,  the  width  21£  feet,  and  the  height  19|  feet. 
The  floor  is  an  exquisite  piece  of  mosaic  in  marble,  and 
the  ceiling  is  in  panels  of  slightly  colored  Italian  mar 
ble,  and  rests  upon  a  series  of  magnificent  white  Italian 
marble  pillars  with  elaborate  capitals.  The  walls  are 
adorned  with  large  and  superb  mirrors,  and  are  ve 
neered  with  the  finest  specimens  of  Tennessee  marble 
in  the  country.  The  windows  are  richly  curtained,  the 
furniture  is  exquisite,  and  the  apartment  is  lighted  by 
a  large  brass  chandelier.  The  suite  is  used  by  the 
Senators  as  a  retiring  and  private  reception  room. 
They  are  not  altogether  worthy  of  so  much  magnifi 
cence,  as  it  is  not  uncommon  to  see  cigar  stumps  on  the 
floor  and  tobacco  stains  on  the  marble. 

The  private  apartments  of  the  two  Houses  of  Con 
gress  are  not  open  to  any  but  invited  guests  during  the 
sessions  of  those  bodies,  but  visitors  are  permitted  to 
examine  them  during  the  recess  of  Congress. 

Returning  to  the  west  corridor,  we  notice  near  the 
foot  of  the  stairway  Stone's  fine  statue  of  John  Han- 
cock. 

THE   MAEBLE   STAIRS. 

There  are  two  stairways  in  each  of  the  new  wings, 
leading  from  the  main  floor  to  the  gallery.  They  are 
amongst  the  chief  beauties  of  the  building,  and  are 
constructed  of  a  fine  quality  of  white  and  variegated 
marble,  with  massive  balustrades  of  the  same  mate 
rial. 


0*   THE   NATIONAL    CAPITAL.  91 

Ascending  the  western  stairway  of  the  Senate  wing 
we  pause  to  notice  the  large  painting  on  canvas,  by 
Walker,  representing  the  storming  of  the  Castle  of 
Chapultepec  by  the  American  army  under  General 
Scott,  on  the  13th  of  September,  1847.  The  scene 
represents  the  grim  old  castle  in  the  background,  which, 
together  with  its  formidable  outworks,  is  wreathed  in 
smoke.  A  heavy  fire  is  being  maintained  by  the  de 
fenders,  and  the  Mexican  tricolor  floats  defiantly  above 
the  seemingly  impregnable  lines.  The  American  forces 
are  struggling,  in  the  foreground,  through  the  dense 
chaparal,  and  are  steadily  winning  their  way,  step  by 
step,  towards  the  castle.  The  dead  and  wounded,  and 
broken  guns  and  artillery  carriages  lie  about.  An  In 
dian  woman,  with  her  babe  strapped  to  her  back,  is 
seen  supporting  the  head  of  her  dying  husband,  un 
mindful  of  the  storm  of  battle  which  is  raging  around 
her.  The  picture  represents  the  battle  at  the  moment 
of  the  consultation  held  between  General  Quitman 
and  several  of  the  officers  of  his  advanced  division, 
when  the  troops  had  carried  the  outworks  at  the  foot 
of  the  castle,  and  opened  the  way  along  the  aqueduct 
towards  the  Garita  de  Belen.  The  conception  is  bril 
liant,  and  the  execution  fine.  The  painting  cost 
$6,000,  and  was  designed  for  the  room  of  the  Senate 
Committee  on  Military  Affairs.  This  fact  explains  the 
singular  shape  of  the  canvas. 

THE  UPPER  CORRIDOR, 

on  the  third  floor,  extends  around  the  entire  wing. 
Opening  into  it  are  the  doors  of  the  rooms  of  Commit- 


92  THE    SIGHTS    AND    SECRETS 

tees,  a  Document  Room,  and  a  ladies1  retiring  room. 
It  is  handsomely  ornamented  and  tiled.  The  doors  on 
the  inn-er  side  lead  into  the  galleries  of 

THE  SENATE  CHAMBER. 

This  magnificent  chamber  is  112  feet  in  length,  82 
feet  wide,  and  30  feet  high.  The  ceiling  is  constructed 
entirely  of  cast  iron,  deeply  panelled,  with  stained 
glass  skylights,  and  ornamented  with  foliage,  pendants, 
and  drops,  of  the  richest  and  most  elaborate  descrip 
tion.  The  walls  and  ceiling  are  painted  with  strong, 
brilliant  colors,  and  all  the  iron  work  is  bronzed  and 
gilded.  A  cushioned  gallery  extends  entirely  around 
the  hall.  That  portion  immediately  over  the  chair  of 
the  Vice  President  of  the  United  States  is  assigned  to 
the  reporters  of  the  press,  and  a  section  enclosed  by 
handsome  iron  railings,  and  immediately  facing  the 
Chair,  is  for  the  use  of  the  members  of  the  Diplomatic 
Corps.  The  rest  of  the  gallery  is  divided  into  sections 
for  ladies  and  gentlemen.  A  fine  view  of  the  hall  can 
be  obtained  from  any  part  of  it.  The  space  under  the 
gallery  is  enclosed,  and  used  as  cloak  rooms,  etc.  The 
gallery  will  seat  one  thousand  persons. 

Immediately  opposite  the  main  door  of  the  Cham 
ber  is  the  chair  of  the  Vice  President  of  the  United 
States,  who  presides  over  the  Senate.  It  is  placed  on 
a  platform  of  pure  white  marble,  and  behind  a  desk 
of  the  same  material.  Just  below  this  is  a  similar  but 
larger  desk,  used  by  the  Secretary  of  the  Senate  and 
his  assistants,  and  at  the  foot  of  this  table  are  the 
chairs  of  the  short-hand  reporters  of  the  debates. 


OP  THE  NATIONAL  CAPITAL.  93 

The  floor  rises  in  the  form  of  an  amphitheatre  from 
the  space  in  front  of  the  Secretary's  desk  to  the  rear. 
Along  these  rows  of  steps,  the  registers  are  built  in  the 
floor,  and  keep  the  temperature  of  the  Chamber  at  a 
fixed  heat.  The  desks  of  the  Senators  are  of  oak,  of 
a  handsome  and  convenient  pattern,  and  are  arranged 
in  three  semicircular  rows  facing  the  Chair.  A  com 
fortable  armchair  is  provided  for  each  desk;  and  sofas 
and  chairs  for  the  convenience  of  Senators  and  those 
entitled  to  the  privileges  of  the  floor,  are  arranged 
around  the  sides  of  the  hall.  The  choice  of  seats  is 
determined  by  drawing  lots. 

During  the  day  the  glass  ceiling  allows  a  soft  and 
pleasant  light  to  pass  into  the  chamber,  and  at  night  the 
gas  jets,  which  are  arranged  above  the  skylights,  shed 
through  the  beautiful  hall  a  radiance  which  can 
scarcely  be  distinguished  from  the  light  of  the  sun. 

Leaving  the  galleries,  we  pass  around  to  the  east 
ern  stairway  and  admire  its  beauty.  Our  attention  is 
called  to  a  painting  by  Rembrandt  Peale,  which  adorns 
the  first  landing  of  the  stairway.  It  represents  Wash 
ington  on  horseback,  reconnoitring  the  position  of 
the  British  Army  at  Yorktown,  previous  to  opening 
his  lines  of  approach.  He  is  accompanied  by  Laiay- 
eytte,  Hamilton,  Lincoln,  Knox,  and  Rochambeau. 
This  painting  does  not  belong  to  the  Government, 
though  the  Senate  once  voted  $4,500  for  its  pui  chase. 

THE    SOUTH   WING. 

Leaving  the  North  Wing  by  the  south  door,  we  pass 
through  the  corridor  connecting  it  with  the  main 


94  THE    SIGHTS    AND    SECRETS 

building.  This  is  a  small  but  handsome  passage 
The  western  side  is  occupied  by  a  dealer  in  guide- 
books  to  the  Capitol,  diagrams  of  the  two  Houses, 
photographs,  <fec.,  and  on  the  opposite  side,  cakes  and 
pies  are  sold.  We  pass  through  the  dark,  circular 
lobby  of  the  old  Senate  Chamber — reserving  that  his 
toric  hall  for  description  in  another  chapter — and  find 
ourselves  again  in  the  Rotunda.  Crossing  it,  we  are  in 
the  old  South  Wing.  The  room  on  our  right  was  the  old 
post  ofllce  of  the  House,  and  is  now  used  as  a  docu 
ment  room.  The  stairs  leading  to  the  gallery  of  the 
old  hall  are  on  our  right  also.  The  door  on  the  left 
leads  to  the  basement.  The  door  in  front  opens  into 

THE   OLD   HALL   OF   KEPRESENTATTVES. 

This  beautiful  chamber  is  one  of  the  most  inter 
esting  apartments  in  the  Capitol.  It  is  semicircular 
in  form,  and  the  ceiling  is  vaulted.  It  is  95  feet  in 
length,  and  the  height  from  the  floor  to  the  apex  of  the 
vaulted  ceiling  is  60  feet.  The  ceiling  is  panelled  and 
beautifully  painted  in  imitation  of  that  of  the  Pantheon 
at  Rome.  It  is  supported  by  twenty-four  magnificent 
columns  of  American  marble,  which  extend  around  the 
western  side  of  the  hall,  and  behind  which  are  the 
galleries.  A  handsomely  painted  cupola  rises  from  the 
centre  of  the  ceiling  and  admits  the  light  At  the 
south  side,  in  the  tympanum  of  the  arch,  is  a  colossal 
statue  of  Liberty,  executed  in  plaster  by  Signor  Cau- 
sici,  and  beneath  it  is  an  American  eagle  in  sandstone, 
modelled  from  life  by  Signor  Valaperti.  The  Speak 
er's  chair  was  formerly  placed  under  this  eagle.  Over 


OF  THE  NATIONAL  CAPITAL.  95 

the  door  by  which  we  enter  from  the  Rotunda,  is 
Franzoni's  beautiful  statue,  representing  History,  with 
listening  ear,  recording  the  passing  events  in  an  open 
volume.  She  is  standing  in  a  winged  car,  the  wheel 
of  which  rests  on  a  globe  ornamented  with  the  signs 
of  the  zodiac.  The  wheel  forms  the  face  of  a  clock, 
the  works  of  which  are  placed  back  of  it.  The  whole 
is  cut  out  of  pure  white  marble,  and  forms  one  of  the 
most  beautiful  ornaments  of  the  Capitol. 

The  hall  is  now  deserted.  The  galleries  are  soon  to 
be  removed,  and  the  space  in  rear  of  the  columns  will 
be  thrown  open.  The  House  held  its  sessions  here 
from  1825  until  the  completion  of  the  new  South 
Wing  a  few  years  before  the  Rebellion,  and  some  of  the 
most  interesting  events  in  the  history  of  the  country 
have  transpired  herein.  A  great  desire  was  expressed 
throughout  the  Union  that  the  hall  should  be  preserved, 
and  Congress,  in  1864,  set  it  apart  for  statuary.  By 
the  terms  of  this  law  each  State  is  to  have  the  privi 
lege  of  sending  hither  two  statues  of  her  most  eminent 
sons.  Tt  is  hoped  that  in  this  way  a  national  collec 
tion  of  statues  of  our  great  men  will  be  formed  ;  but 
as  yet  no  such  contributions  have  been  made.  A  copy 
of  Houdon's  fine  statue  of  Washington  is  now  the  sole 
occupant  of  the  hall. 

Passing  under  the  eagle's  outspread  wings,  and 
leaving  the  hall  by  the  southern  door,  we  arrive  at  the 
corridor  leading  from  the  old  building  to  the  new 
§outh  Wing.  At  the  entrance  we  behold  the  famous 


96  THE    SIGHTS    AND    SECRETS 

BKONZE  DOOE. 

This  magnificent  work  of  art  is  the  most  superb  of 
its  kind  in  the  world.  It  was  designed  and  modelled  in 
Rome,  in  1858,  by  Randolph  Rogers,  the  American 
^culp'or,  cast  at  the  Royal  Foundry  at  Munich,  by  F. 
Yon  Miiller,  and  completed  in  1861.  It  weighs  20,000 
pounds,  and  cost  thirty  thousand  dollars.  It  is  seven 
teen  feet  high,  nine  feet  wide,  and  is  folding  or  double. 
The  casing  is  semicircular  at  the  top,  and  projects 
about  a  foot  in  front  of  the  leaves  of  the  door.  Around 
the  casing  extends  a  handsome  border,  emblematic  of 
conquest  and  navigation.  The  key  of  the  arch  of  the 
casing  is  ornamented  with  a  fine  head  of  Columbus, 
beneath  which  is  the  American  Eagle  with  outspread 
wings.  Four  figures,  representing  Asia,  Africa,  Europe, 
and  America,  stand  at  the  top  and  bottom  of  the 
casing.  The  upper  right-hand  figure  represents  Asia, 
the  upper  left-hand  figure  Africa,  the  lower  right-hand 
figure  Europe,  and  the  lower  left-hand  figure  America. 

There  are  eight  square  panels  in  the  door,  besides 
the  semicircular  transom  panel.  Between  these  panels 
are  ten  heads,  five  on  each  leaf  of  the  door,  "  repre 
senting  historians  who  have  written  on  his  (Columbus') 
voyages,  from  his  own  time  down  to  the  present  day, 
ending  with  Irving  and  Prescott."  On  the  right  and 
left  of  the  panels  are  sixteen  statuettes,  set  in  niches,  rep 
resenting  the  most  eminent  of  the  contemporaries  of 
the  great  discoverer.  The  names  of  these  worthies 
are  marked  on  the  door,  and  the  figures  can  be  easily 
recognized.  In  describing  them  we  shall  begin  with 


OF   THE   NATIONAL   CAPITAL.  97 

the  lower  right-Land  figure,  which  is  opposite  the  first 
part  of  the  story  told  by  the  door. 

The  figure  is  that  of  JUAN  PEREZ,  Prior  of  the 
Convent  of  La  Rabida,  the  most  faithful  of  all  Colum 
bus'  friends,  and  through  whose  influence  he  was  enar 
bled  to  state  his  scheme  to  the  Spanish  Queen. 

The  next  above  is  COETEZ,  the  Conqueror  of  Mexico. 

The  third  is  DON  ALONZO  DE  OJEDA,  a  distin 
guished  but  unfaithful  follower  of  Columbus. 

The  top  figure  is  AMERIGO  VESPUCCI,  after  whom 
the  Continent  is  named. 

At  the  top  of  the  double  row,  between  the  two 
leaves  of  the  door,  are  PEDRO  GONZALES  DE  MENDOZA, 
Archbishop  of  Toledo,  and  Grand  Cardinal  of  Spain, 
sometimes  called,  on  account  of  his  immense  influence, 
the  "third  King  of  Spain,"  and  POPE  ALEXANDER  VI. 
The  Cardinal,  who  was  an  early  patron  of  Columbus, 
stands  on  the  right,  and  the  Pope  is  on  the  left. 

The  figures  immediately  below  them  are  FER 
DINAND  and  ISABELLA,  King  and  Queen  of  Spain,  the 
queen  being  placed  on  the  right. 

Below  them  are  DONNA  BEATRIZ  DE  BOBADILLA, 
Marchioness  of  Moya,,  one  of  the  fast  friends  of  Colum 
bus,  and  CHARLES  VEIL,  King  of  France.  The  artist 
was  unable  to  find  a  likeness  of  the  noble  lady  here 
represented,  and  gave  to  her  the  features  of  Mrs. 
Rogers,  his  wife. 

HENRY  VII.,  of  England,  and  JOHN"  II.,  of  Portu 
gal,  form  the  lowest  pair,  the  English  monarch  being 
on  the  right.  John  of  Portugal  would  not  listen  to 
Columbus'  proposals ;  but  Henry  carefully  weighed 
7 


98  THE    SIGHTS    AND    SECRETS 

the  scheme,  which  was  presented  to  him  by  the  brother 
of  the  discoverer.  Before  his  answer  was  ready,  how 
ever,  the  New  World  was  found. 

MARTIN  ALONZO  PINZON  stands  at  the  bottom  of 
the  left  row.  He  was  the  captain  of  the  "Pinta," 
one  of  the  little  squadron  of  Columbus,  and  enjoyed 
the  honor  of  being  the  first  to  see  the  "  land  "  of  the 
Western.  World.  Eventually,  he  betrayed  his  friend 
and  commander,  and  died  from  grief  and  mortification. 

Above  him  is  BARTHOLOMEW  COLUMBUS,  the  brother 
of  the  great  man,  and  appointed  by  him  Lieuten 
ant-Governor  of  the  Indies.  This  figure  wears  the 
face  of  the  artist,  Mr.  Rogers,  as  it  was  impossible  to 
procure  a  likeness  of  the  subject. 

Above  him  is  VASCO  NUNEZ  DE  BALBOA,  who, 
crossing  the  Isthmus  of  Darien,  with  his  followers,  dis 
covered  the  Pacific  Ocean  on  the  29th  of  September, 
1510. 

FRANCISCO  PIZARRO,  the  cruel  conqueror  of  Peru, 
fills  the  topmost  niche,  and  completes  the  group. 

We  come  now  to  the  exquisite  pictures  embraced 
in  the  panels  of  the  door.  The  work  is  in  alto  relievo, 
the  figures  standing  out  boldly  from  the  surface. 
Every  detail  is  perfect,  and  the  gazer's  emotions  of 
admiration  are  strongly  mingled  with  wonder  that 
such  an  elaborate  design  has  been  so  faithfully  and 
minutely  executed.  An  oil  painting  or  steel  engraving 
could  not  more  forcibly  or  perfectly  tell  the  story. 

The  lowest  right-hand  panel  begins  the  tale,  the 
transom  panel  being  the  central  scene. 

PANEL  I.  Columbus  is  expounding  his  theory  of 


OF   THE   NATIONAL    CAPITAL.  99 

finding  the  Indies  by  sailing  due  west,  to  the  Council 
of  Salamanca.  This  Council  gravely  deliberated  the 
subject,  and  solemnly  concluded  that  the  project  was 
"vain  and  impossible,  and  not  becoming  great  princes 
to  engage  in  on  such  slender  grounds  as  had  been 
adduced." 

PANEL  II.  Weary  and  heart-sick,  on  foot,  and 
leading  his  son,  Diego,  a  mere  lad,  by  the  hand,  Colum 
bus  sought  shelter  in  the  Convent  of  LaRabida,  near 
Palos.  He  was  without  friends  or  money,  and  was 
in  despair  of  having  his  grand  scheme  of  discovery 
adopted  by  any  potentate.  The  monks  of  the  Con 
vent  received  him  kindly,  and  induced  him  to  remain 
with  them  a  long  time.  While  here,  he  stated  his 
plan  and  hopes  to  the  prior,  Juan  Perez,  who  had 
been  Queen  Isabella's  confessor.  Here  he  also  met 
Alonzo  Pinzon,  who  accompanied  him  in  his  subse 
quent  voyage.  The  prior  at  once  became  warmly 
enlisted  in  the  scheme,  and  mentioned  it  to  Donna 
Beatriz  de  Bobadilla,  an  attendant  and  favorite  of  the 
queen.  The  two  brought  the  matter  to  the  queen's 
notice,  and  pressed  it  so  thoroughly  that  her  Majesty 
sent  Columbus  a  sum  of  money  sufficient  to  enable  him 
to  appear  at  Court,  and  plead  his  cause  in  person. 
The  scene  embraced  in  this  panel  represents  him  set 
ting  out  from  the  convent  to  wait  upon  the  queen. 

PANEL  III.  Represents  Columbus  laying  his  plan 
before  the  King  and  Queen  of  Spain.  The  queen 
leans  forward  with  eagerness,  but  the  king  holds  back 
coldly  and  doubtingly.  The  courtiers  in  the  back 
ground  regard  the  bold  adventurer  with  looks  of 
mingled  scorn  and  incredulity. 


TOO  THE    SIGHTS    AND    SECRETS 

PANEL  IV.  Is  at  the  top  of  the  right  leaf  of  the 
door,  and  represents  "The  Departure  from  Palos" 
The  admiral's  ships  lie  waiting  in  the  harbor,  while  he 
is  standing  on  the  shore,  bidding  farewell  to  his  son, 
and  confiding  him  to  the  care  of  his  friend,  the  prior. 

THE  TKANSOM  PANEL.  This  extends  across  the 
whole  door,  is  semicircular  in  form  and  represents  the 
admiral  and  his  companions  landing  at  San  Salvador, 
and  taking  formal  possession  of  the  island.  The  ban 
ner  of  Spain  is  held  aloft  by  Columbus,  whose  other 
hand  holds  a  sword.  Boats  are  coming  in  from  the 
ships  in  the  offing,  and  a  group  of  natives  crouch  at 
the  foot  of  a  large  tree,  gazing  at  the  new  comers 
with  wonder  and  fear. 

PANEL  V.  Is  at  the  top  of  the  left  leaf  of  the  door, 
and  represents  the  first  intercourse  between  the  Indians 
and  the  discoverers.  One  of  the  sailors  is  seen  ap 
proaching  the  admiral,  bearing  on  his  shoulders  an 
Indian  girl  whom  he  has  captured  and  bound.  Colum 
bus  sternly  rebukes  him  for  his  cruelty,  and  orders  the 
instant  release  of  the  girl. 

PANEL  VI.  Represents  "The  Triumphal  Entry 
into  Barcelona.''  Columbus,  having  returned  from  the 
New  World,  bringing  with  him  the  proofs  of  his  dis 
coveries,  is  entering  the  City  of  Barcelona,  amidst  the 
plaudits  and  cheers  of  the  assembled  multitude.  The 
admiral,  on  horseback,  is  seen  in  the  foreground. 

PANEL  VII.  Represents  the  wrongs  of  Columbus. 
Don  Francisco  de  Bobadilla,  having  been  sent  to  the 
New  World,  to  investigate  the  charges  brought  against 
the  admiral  by  his  enemies,  took  sides  against  him, 


OF   THE    NATIONAL    CAPITAL.  101 

and  sent  him  back  to  Spain  in  chains.  The  panel 
represents  the  arrival  of  the  admiral  in  chains,  on 
board  the  vessel  which  was  to  convey  him  to  Europe 
The  officers  of  the  ship,  filled  with  generous  indigna 
tion,  desired  to  relieve  him  of  his  fetters,  but  he  re 
plied,  "No;  I  will  wear  them  as  a  memento  of  the 
gratitude  of  princes." 

PANEL  VIII.  Represents  "The  Death  of  Columbus." 
On  the  voyago  home,  Don  Francisco  de  Bobadilla, 
and  all  his  crew,  were  drowned,  but  the  admiral 
reached  Spain  in  safety,  to  find  the  charges  against  him 
cleared  away.  The  queen  was  dead,  however,  and 
King  Ferdinand  was  ungrateful  to  the  man  who  had 
given  a  new  world  to  Spain.  The  admiral  was  thus 
left  without  friends  at  court. 

Landing  near  San  Lucas,  Columbus  proceeded  to 
Seville.  He  was  poor  in  purse,  and  broken  down 
in  health,  besides  being  feeble  from  age.  He  made 
repeated  efforts  to  obtain  redress  for  the  wrongs  done 
him,  but  failed  in  all.  He  died  at  Valladolid,  May 
20th,  1506,  being  about  seventy  years  old. 

The  picture  represents  the  chamber  in  which  he 
died.  His  friends  are  gathered  around  his  bed,  the 
last  rites  of  the  Church  have  been  received,  and  a  priest 
holds  aloft  a  crucifix,  in  order  that  his  last  earthly  gaze 
may  be  fixed  upon  the  symbol  of  his  redemption.  The 
world  fast  recedes  from  the  dying  eyes,  the  weak  lips 
murmur  "  In  Manns  tuas,  Domine,  commendo  spiritum 
meum"  "  Into  Thy  Hands,  O  Lord,  I  commend  my 
spirit,"  and  the  great,  grand  soul  passes  into  a  blessed 
eternity. 


102  THE    SIGHTS    AND    SECRETS 

Columbus  was  buried  with  great  pomp  in  the  Con 
vent  of  St.  Francis,  in  Valladolid.  In  1513  his  re- 
•mains  were  removed  to  the  Monastery  of  Las  Cuevas, 
at  Seville.  In  1536,  they  were  removed  from  Spain  to 
St.  Domingo,  where  they  rested  until  1796,  when  they 
were  carried  to  Cuba,  and  interred  with  magnificent 
display,  in  the  Cathedral  at  Havana. 

Not  yet,  however,  have  they  found  their  proper 
resting-place.  That  place  is  under  the  dome  of  the 
'  Capitol  of  the  Great  Republic  of  the  New  World. 

The  door  is  indescribably  beautiful,  and  an  accurate 
description  of  it  is  an  impossibility.  It  must  be  seen 
to  be  appreciated. 

We  pass  by  the  door,  whose  beauties  tempt  us  to 
linger  over  it,  and  through  the  corridor  connecting  the 
new  south  wing  with  the  main  building.  A  telegraph 
office  on  our  left  affords  communication  with  all  parts 
of  the  country,  and  guide-books  and  photographs  are 
offered  for  sale  at  a  stand  on  our  right.  Leaving  this, 
we  enter 

THE   NORTH    CORRIDOR 

of  the  House  wing.  It  is  handsomely  tiled  and  fres 
coed.  Immediately  in  front  of  us  is  the  principal 
entrance  to  the  hall  of  the  House,  in  charge  of  the 
efficient  and  accomplished  door-keeper  and  his  assist 
ants.  Turning  to  the  left,  we  pass  into  the  East  Corri 
dor,  and  find  ourselves  at  the  foot  of  one  of  the  marble 
stairways  leading  to  the  gallery.  Here  stands  Powers' 
famous  statue  of  Jefferson.  It  is  claimed  to  be  an  ex 
cellent  likeness,  and  is  wonderfully  like  the  late  Gene- 


Of   THE   NATIONAL    CAPITAL.  103 

ral  Randolph,  of  Virginia,  who  was  his  grandson,  and 
said  to  he  the  image  of  him.  Beyond  it  we  find  our 
selves  in  the  vestibule  communicating  with  the  magnif 
icent  Southeast  Portico.  This  is  the  principal  entrance 
to  the  wing,  and  will  soon  be  ornamented  with  tho 
beautiful  bronze  door  we  have  described. 
On  the  right  of  the  vestibule  is  the 

POST  OFFICE  OF  THE  HOUSE. 

This  establishment  is  similar  to  that  of  the  Senate, 
but  is  larger  and  handsomer.  It  is  conducted  in  the 
manner  we  have  described  in  connection  with  the  Sen 
ate  Post  Office.  It  opens  into  the  East  Corridor,  and 
not  into  the  vestibule. 

The  South  Corridor,  immediately  in  rear  of  the 
Hall  of  the  House,  is  for  the  private  use  of  Members, 
and  is  railed  off  from  the  other  passages.  It  is  car 
peted,  and  has  an  air  of  comfort  and  elegance.  Bronze 
stairways,  similar  to  those  of  the  Senate  wing,  lead 
from  this  passage  to  the  basement,  for  the  convenience 
of  ''Members  only."  The  apartment  at  the  eastern 
end  of  this  passage  is  the 


LADIES'  KECEPTION  BOOM. 


It  is  beautifully  furnished  and  carpeted,  and  tho 
walls  and  ceilings  are  ornamented  with  fine  frescoes. 
Ladies  having  business  with  Congressmen  are  shown 
into  this  apartment,  while  their  cards  are  sent  to  the 
Member's  seat  in  the  Hall.  If  he  desires  to  see  the 
lady,  he  seeks  her  in  the  reception  room.  Lobbyists 
are  well  known  to  the  attaches  of  the  chamber,  and 


104  THE  SIGHTS  AND  SECRETS 

could  the  silent  walla  speak,  their  revelations  would 
create  a  sensation  in  the  Federal  City,  and  elsewhere. 

The  Office  of  the  Sergeant-at-Arms  of  the  House 
adjoins  the  reception  room.  It  is  handsomely  orna 
mented  and  comfortably  furnished. 

THE  SPEAKER'S  ROOM 

is  immediately  in  the  centre  of  the  South  Wing,  and 
faces  the  south.  It  is  entered  by  two  doors  leading 
from  the  private  passage.  It  is  a  large,  elegant  apart 
ment,  and  is  for  the  private  use  of  the  Speaker  of  the 
House  of  Representatives.  Its  carpets  and  draperies 
are  rich  and  elegant,  and  the  furniture  is  costly  and 
tasteful.  The  ceiling  is  frescoed,  and  the  walls  are 
adorned  with  portraits  of  nearly  all  the  distinguished 
men  who  have  been  speaker  of  the  House  since  the 
first  organization  of  Congress. 

The  adjoining  apartment  on  the  west  is  for  the 
private  use  of  Members  of  the  House.  It  is  elegantly 
fitted  up,  and  is  used  as  a  private  reception  room. 

The  western  end  of  the  wing  is  occupied  with  offi 
ces  of  the  Clerk  of  the  House  of  Representatives. 
Visitors  are  not  admitted  to  these  offices,  or  to  those 
of  the  Secretary  of  the  Senate,  at  any  time,  as  the 
officials  engaged  therein  are  always  busy  with  the  dis 
charge  of  their  duties.  Committee  Rooms  open  into 
the  various  corridors,  and  are  handsomely  furnished 
and  elaborately  frescoed. 

At  the  north  end  of  the  west  corridor  is  a  splendid 
marble  stairway  leading  to  the  third  floor  and  the  gal 


WESTERN    TERRACE    OF    TIIE    CAPITOL. 


Ofc   THE   NATIONAL    CAPITAL.  105 

leries.  The  wall,  from  the  first  landing  to  the  ceiling 
is  ornamented  with 

LEUTZE'S  GKEAT  PAINTING, 

entitled,  "  "Westward  the  Course  of  Empire  Takes  Ttg 
Way."  It  is  lighted  from  a  skylight  in  the  roof,  and  is 
seen  to  the  best  advantage  from  the  upper  corridor. 

The  picture  is  painted  in  fresco,  but  the  coloring 
is  softer  and  more  life-like  than  is  often  seen  in  such 
paintings.  The  surface  is  rough,  but  the  work  has 
been  done  with  such  a  master-hand  that  it  seems  as  if 
it  were  real  life.  Gaze  at  it  for  hours,  and  the  eye 
will  discover  some  new  beauty  every  hour.  However 
minute  it  may  be,  every  detail  is  brought  out  with  the 
utmost  fidelity.  The  painting  is  the  greatest  work  of 
art  in  the  possession  of  the  Government,  and  one  of 
the  grandest  in  the  world. 

The  scene  represents  a  train  of  emigrants  crossing 
the  Rocky  Mountains.  They  have  reached  the  summit 
of  the  range,  from  which  a  glorious  view  stretches  out 
before  them  to  the  westward.  The  adventurers  con 
sist  of  the  usual  class  of  emigrants,  men,  women,  and 
children.  There  are  several  wagons  and  a  number  of 
horses  in  the  train.  The  faces  of  the  emigrants  express 
the  various  emotions  which  fill  their  hearts  as  they 
gaze  upon  the  glorious  scene  before  them.  Some  are 
full  of  life  and  vigor,  and  hope  beams  in  every  feature, 
whilst  others  are  struggling  with  sickness  and  despair. 
The  advance  of  the  train  has  been  momentarily  checked 
by  a  huge  tree  which  has  fallen  across  their  path,  and 
two  stout  men,  under  the  direction  of  the  leader  of  the 


106  THE    SIGHTS    AND    SECRETS 

party,  who  is  sitting  on  his  horse,  are  engaged  in  hew- 
ing  it  away  with  axes.  Two  men  have  climbed  to  the 
summit  of  a  neighboring  rocky  crag,  on  which  they 
have  planted  the  banner  of  the  Republic,  which  is  §een 
flapping  out  proudly  from  its  lofty  perch.  In  the  fore 
ground  stands  a  manly  youth,  clasping  his  father's  long 
rifle  with  a  firm  grasp,  and  gazing  towards  the  prom- 
ised  land  with  a  countenance  glowing  with  hope  and 
energy.  His  sister,  hopeful  as  himself,  is  seated  by  her 
mother's  side,  on  a  buffalo  robe  which  has  been  thrown 
over  a  rock.  The  mother's  face  is  sad,  but  patient. 
She  knows  well  the  privations,  toil,  and  hardships 
which*  await  them  in  the  new  home-land,  but  she  tries 
to  share  the  enthusiasm  and  hope  of  her  children.  She 
clasps  her  nursing  infant  to  her  breast,  and  listens  to 
her  husband,  who  stands  by  and  points  her  to  the  new 
country  where  they  will  all  have  a  home  of  their  own. 
Her  face  is  inexpressibly  beautiful.  The  ricl^  warm 
light  of  the  rising  sun  streams  brightly  over  the  whole 
scene,  and  lends  to  it  a  magical  glow.  The  legend, 
"  Westward  the  Course  of  Empire  Takes  Its  Way,"  is 
inscribed  over  the  painting  in  letters  of  gold. 

An  elaborate  illuminated  border,  illustrative  of  the 
advance  of  civilization  in  the  West,  surrounds  the 
painting.  It  is  in  itself  one  of  the  most  elaborate 
works  of  art  in  the  Capitol. 

Beneath  the  painting,  and  detached  from  it,  is  a 
view  of  the  "  The  Golden  Gate,"  the  entrance  to  the 
harbor  of  San  Francisco. 

On  the  right  of  the  picture  is  a  portrait  of  Daniel 
Boone,  below  which  are  the  lines : 


OP   THE   NATIONAL    CAPITAL.  107 

"The  Spirit  grows  with  its  allotted  Spaces: — 
The  mind  is  narrowed  in  a  narrow  Sphere." 

On  the  left  of  the  painting  is  a  portrait  of  Cap 
tain  William  Clarke,  and  the  lines : 

"No pent  up  Utica  contracts  our  powers; 
But  the  whole  boundless  Continent  is  ours." 

From  the  "  guide "  of  Mr.  Wyeth,  we  learn  that 
the  process  of  affixing  the  painting  to  the  wall  13 
termed  StereocJirome,  and  is  sometimes  called  "Water- 
glass  painting."  "The  wall  is  coated  with  a  prepara 
tion  of  clean  quartz  sand  mixed  with  the  least  possible 
quantity  of  lime ;  and  alter  the  application  of  this  the 
surface  is  scraped  to  remove  the  outer  coating  in  con 
tact  with  the  atmosphere.  It  is  then  washed  with  a 
solution  of  silesia,  soda,  potash,  and  wate?\  As  the 
painter  applies  his  colors,  he  moistens  his  work  by 
squirting  distilled  water  upon  it.  When  finished  it  is 
washed  over  with  the  silesia  solution.  The  picture 
also  in  its  progress  is  washed  with  the  same  solution, 
and  the  colors  thus  becoming  incorporated  in  the  flinty 
coating,  the  picture  is  rendered  hard  and  durable  as 
stone  itself." 

Leutze  was  paid  $20,000  for  this  magnificent  work. 

We  leave  the  painting  with  regret,  and  pass  iato 

THE   UPPER    CORRIDOR, 

which  extends  entirely  around  the  third  floor.  The 
doors  on  the  outer  side  lead  to  rooms  used  by  the 
Committees  of  the  House,  and  those  on  the  inner  side 
to  the  galleries  of  the  House.  There  are  nine  Com- 


108  THE    SIGHTS    AND    SECRETS 

mittee  Rooms  opening  into  this  corridor,  all  of  which 
are  splendidly  fitted  up.  The  only  door  on  the  North 
side  jeads  to 

THE   LIBRARY    OF   THE   HOUSE. 

This  apartment  is  situated  over  the  corridor  con 
necting  the  South  Wing  with  the  old  building.  It 
contains  nothing  but  documents  published  by  order  of 
the  House  of  Representatives,  and  is  for  the  exclusive 
use  of  members. 

THE   HALL   OF   THE   HOUSE   OF   REPRESENTATIVES. 

Passing  through  one  of  the  inner  doors,  we  enter 
the  galleries  of  this  magnificent  hall,  and  pause  for  a 
while  to  admire  the  beauty  of  its  design  and  the  com 
fort  of  its  arrangements. 

The  hall  is  139  feet  long,  93  feet  wide,  and  36  feet 
high.  It  is  of  sufficient  size  to  afford  comfortable  ac 
commodations  for  the  increased  number  of  members  a 
century  hence.  It  has  an  area  of  12,927  square  feet. 
The  galleries  extend  entirely  around  it,  arid  will  seat 
1200  persons.  The  seats  are  cushioned,  and  present  a 
handsome  appearance.  That  portion  opposite  the 
Speaker's  chair,  is  ornamented  with  a  magnificent 
bronze  clock.  Immediately  over  the  Speaker's  chair, 
is  the  Reporters'  Gallery,  which  is  for  the  exclusive 
use  of  the  Press.  It  is  furnished  with  handsome  pri 
vate  desks,  one  of  which  is  assigned  to  the  accredited 
Reporter  for  some  particular  journal  for  the  entire  ses« 
sion.  Some  twenty-five  or  thirty  of  the  leading  news 
papers  of  the  land  ai  e  represented  here. 


OF   THE   NATIONAL    CAPITAL.  109 

The  rest  of  the  gallery  is  divided  into  sections  foi 
the  members  of  the  Diplomatic  Corps,  for  ladies,  and 
for  gentlemen  unaccompanied  by  ladies.  These  are 
separated  from  each  other  by  iron  railings. 

The  ceiling  is  of  cast-iron,  and  is  similar  to  that  of 
the  Senate  Chamber,  but  handsomer.  In  the  centre  is 
a  large  skylight  containing  a  number  of  panels  orna 
mented  with  the  coats  of  arms  of  the  various  States 
and  Territories  of  the  Union.  The  hall  is  lighted  by 
means  of  this  skylight.  "  An  arrangement  of  mova 
ble  metallic  plates,  on  the  principle  of  Venetian  blinds, 
is  placed  under  the  sunny  side  of  the  respective  roofs 
of  the  House  and  Senate,  so  that  the  same  amount  of 
light  may  be  admitted  all  the  time."  The  arrange 
ment  of  the  gas-lights  is  similar  to  that  of  the  Senate 
Chamber.  Fifteen  hundred  burners  are  placed  over 
the  glass  of  the  ceiling,  at  a  distance  of  an  inch  apart. 
Over  each  one  of  these  passes  an  incombustible  wire. 
The  gas  is  turned  on,  an  electric  current  flashed  along 
the  wire,  and  in  an  instant  the  hall  is  filled  with  a  soft, 
pleasing  light,  which  resembles  that  of  the  sun. 

Opposite  the  principal  door,  are  three  desks  of  pure 
white  marble,  ranged  one  above  the  other.  The  high 
est  is  occupied  by  the  Speaker  of  the  House,  the  next 
by  the  Clerk  of  the  House  and  his  assistants,  and  the 
lowest  by  the  official  reporters  of  the  debates. 

The  registers  for  warming  the  hall  are  built  in  the 

o  o 

sides  of  the  different  steps  into  which  the  floor  ia 
divided,  and  openings  in  the  wall  permit  the  heated 
air  to  pass  off.  The  engines  which  work  the  heating 
ventilating  apparatus,  are  situated  in  the  basement, 


110  THE    SIGHTS    AND    SECRETS 

and  are  of  snch  power  that  the  air  of  the  entire  hall  ia 
renewed  every  five  minutes. 

The  ceiling  is  magnificently  painted,  and  the  walls 
"below  the  galleries  are  laid  off  in  large  panels,  which 
are  to  be  ornamented  with  paintings  in  fresco  illustra 
tive  of  the  principal  events  of  the  history  of  the  coun* 
try.  One  of  these  panels  has  already  been  filled  with 
a  magnificent  fresco,  by  Brumidi,  illustrating  an  event 
which  occurred  at  the  Siege  of  Yorktown. 

On  the  right  and  left  of  the  Speaker's  chair  are 
full  length  portraits  of  Washington  and  Lafayette. 
The  portrait  of  Washington  was  painted  by  Vander- 
lyn,  by  order  of  Congress,  and  that  of  Lafayette  was 
presented  to  Congress  by  the  great  Frenchman  him 
self,  on  the  occasion  of  his  visit  to  the  United  States 
in  1825.  Both  pictures  were  among  the  ornaments  of 
the  old  Hall  of  Kepresentatives. 

The  floor  rises  from  south  to  north,  like  an  amphi 
theatre.  The  seats  and  desks  of  the  members  (which 
are  similar  to  those  of  the  Senators)  are  arranged 
along  this  amphitheatre,  in  successive  circles,  facing  the 
Speaker.  There  are  at  present  236  of  these  desks  and 
seats  in  use.  The  desks  and  chairs  are  all  of  a  hand 
some  pattern,  and  make  a  very  showy  appearance. 
Seats  are  chosen  by  lot  at  the  beginning  of  every  ses 
sion.  The  desk  of  the  Sergeant-at-Arms  is  on  the 
Speaker's  right,  that  of  the  Door-keeper  on  his 
left. 

The  space  under  the  galleries  is  enclosed  and  occu 
pied  by  two  cloak  rooms  for  Members,  a  Barber  Shop 
for  Members,  a  Folding  Room,  and  Document  Room. 


OP   THE    NATIONAL    CAPITAL.  Ill 

There  is  also  a  private  room  for  the  use  of  ladies, 
at  the  southeastern  end  of  the  ladies'  gallery. 

Leaving  the  gallery,  we  descend  to  the  main  floor 
by  the  eastern  stairway,  which  is  constructed  of  pol 
ished  Tennessee  marble,  with  splendid  columns  and 
balustrades  of  the  same  material.  It  is  exactly  similar 
to  the  western  stairway,  by  which,  we  reach  the  galle 
ries.  On  the  first  landing  hangs  a  fine  portrait  of 
General  Scott,  mounted  on  his  war-horse,  by  Mr.  Ed 
ward  Troyes.  It  was  painted  by  order  of  the  Legis 
lature  of  Virginia,  but  being  unfinished  at  the  time  of 
the  breaking  out  of  the  Rebellion,  was  left  on  the  artist's 
hands.  It  is  to  be  hoped  that  Congress  will  pur 
chase  it,  as  it  is  the  best  portrait  of  the  old  huro  in 
existence. 

THE    BASEMENT. 

Continuing  our  descent  of  the  marble  stairs,  we 
find  ourselves  in  the  basement  of  the  South  Wing. 
We  enter  a  handsome  corridor  running  north  and 
south,  lighted  by  the  windows  at  each  end.  To  the 
left  of  the  stairway  is  the  vestibule  leading  to  the  car 
riage-way  under  the  southeast  portico.  Passing  west 
ward,  the  first  room  across  the  corridor  containing  the 
stairway  is  fitted  up  with  a  row  of  water  closets  for 
gentlemen.  The  next  room  contains  the 


MEMBERS'  BATHS. 


These  consist  of  a  row  of  handsome  closets,  finished 
in  black  walnut,  each  of  which  contains  a  large  bath 
tub,  with  hot  and  cold  water  for  both  plunge  and 


THE    SIGHTS   AND    SECRETS 

shower  baths,  a  wash-stand,  and  a  water  closet.  The 
floor  is  laid,  with  marble  tile*,  and  every  thing  is  upon 
the  handsomest  and  most  comfortable  plan.  The  room 
is  for  the  use  of  the  members  and  officers  of  the 
House  alone,  and  is  one  of  the  most  luxurious  establish 
ments  of  its  kind  in  the  world.  When  not  in  use,  it  is 
always  open  to  the  inspection  of  visitors.  The  next 
door  on  the  right  of  the  passage  leads  into 


DOWNING'S  EESTAUEANT. 


This  establishment  occupies  two  rooms,  and  is  en 
tered  from  the  passage  we  have  been  traversing,  and 
from  the  central  corridor.  It  is  handsomely  fitted  up, 
and  is  carried  on  for  the  accommodation  of  the  mem 
bers,  officials,  and  visitors.  The  proprietor,  Mr. 
George  T.  Downing,  is  a  gentleman  of  color,  of  middle 
age,  and  has  decidedly  the  most  elegant  manners  to  be 
seen  in  the  Capitol.  He  is  from  New  York,  where  he 
is  well  known  to  all  lovers  of  good  living,  and  has 
opened  in  the  Capitol  one  of  the  best  restaurants  in 
the  Union.  His  bill  of  fare  contains  every  delicacy 
of  the  season,  and  his  dishes  are  served  in  a  style 
which  would  not  shame  Delmonico  himself. 

THE   CENTRAL    COEEIDOK 

traverses  the  basement  from  north  to  south,  and  join 
ing  the  corridors  of  the  old  building,  which  communi 
cate  with  those  of  the  Senate  wing,  affords  a  continuous 
passage  from  one  end  of  the  Capitol  to  the  other.  In 
the  House  wing  it  is  24£  feet  broad,  and  contains 
thirty  monolithic  fluted  columns  of  white  marble,  with 


DOWNING  8  RESTAUKANT OONGE) 


fflN  LUNCHING  "WITH  THEIB  FRIENDS 


OF   THE  NATIONAL   CAPITAL.  113 

capitals  foliated  with  tobacco  leaves  and  buds,  which 
support  a  panelled  ceiling  of  cast  iron. 

THE    COMMITTEE   BOOMS 

on  this  floor  are  large  and  beautiful.  There  are  thir 
teen  of  them.  That  on  the  south  of  the  western  en 
trance  is  the  room  of  the  Committee  on  Agriculture, 
and  is  one  of  the  most  beautiful  apartments  in  the 
Capitol.  It  is  magnificently  furnished.  The  ceiling  is 
arched,  and  is  divided  into  four  compartments  contain 
ing  representations  of  the  four  seasons.  In  the  east 
is  Flora  scattering  the  flowers  of  Spring;  in  the  south, 
Ceres  holds  sheaves  of  ripe  grain ;  in  the  west,  Bac 
chus  is  sporting  amidst  clusters  of  the  vine ;  and  in 
the  north,  Boreas  brings  storms  of  wind  and  rain. 

The  eastern  wall  is  ornamented  with  a  painting  in 
fresco,  representing  *'  Cincinnatus  Summoned  from  his 
Plough  to  be  Dictator  of  Rome,"  and  on  the  opposite 
wall  is  a  companion  picture,  "  Putnam  Leaving  his 
Plough  to  Fight  for  Independence."  The  paintings 
are  all  by  Signor  Brumidi. 

THE   STATUE   OF    FREEDOM. 

Leaving  the  Capitul,  which  we  have  now  explor 
ed,*  we  pass  out  into  the  grounds,  and  pause  to  gaze 
up  at  the  magnificent  bronze  statue  of  Freedom,  which 
surmounts  the  lantern  of  the  dome,  at  an  altitude  of 
300  feet  above  the  ground.  The  statue  was  finally 
placed  in  its  present  position  at  12  o'clock  on  the 

*  The  old  Senate  Chamber  will  be  described  in  the  Chapter  upon  "  The  Su 
preme  Court." 

8 


114  THE    SIGHTS    AND    SECRETS 

2d  of  December  1863,  and  was  greeted  with  a 
salute  of  35  guns  from  a  field  battery  on  Capitol  Hill, 
and  with  similar  salutes  from  all  the  defences  of  the 
city.  It  is  19  feet  6  inches  high,  and  weighs  14,985 
pounds.  It  cost  the  Government,  before  being  raised 
to  its  present  position,  $23,796  82. 

This  magnificent  statue  was  the  last  conception  of 
the  lamented  Crawford.  It  represents  a  female  figure 
in  a  royal  robe,  on  whose  head  is  placed  a  helmet  cap 
ornamented  with  the  wings  and  beak  of  an  eagle. 
Her  right  hand  rests  upon  a  sheathed  sword,  the  point 
of  which  touches  the  ground  at  her  feet,  and  her  left 
holds  a  wreath  over  a  shield  ornamented  with  the 
Stars  and  Stripes.  Her  face  is  uplifted,  and  her  brow 
is  encircled  with  a  wreath  of  stars.  The  face  is  pure 
and  queenly,  and  seems  glowing  with  life  and  noble 
thoughts.  It  is  one  of  the  noblest  works  of  its  kind 
'n  the  -tforld. 

The  bronze  cast  was  made  by  Mr.  Clark  Mills,  at 
his  foundry  near  Washington. 

GREENOTJGH'S  STATUE  OF  WASHINGTON. 

This  statue  is  placed  in  the  Capitol  Park,  opposite 
the  Central  Portico,  east  of  the  building.  It  repre 
sents  Washington  seated  in  majesty,  his  left  hand  hold 
ing  a  sheathed  sword,  and  his  right  pointing  to  Heaven. 
His  figure  is  naked  to  the  waist,  but  the  right  arm  and 
lower  part  of  his  body  are  draped.  The  figure  is 
about  twelve  feet  high,  and  the  features  are  massive, 
but  the  likeness  is  correct.  Lions1  heads  and  acanthus 
ornament  the  chair,  against  the  back  of  which 


OF   THE   NATIONAL    CAPITAL.  115 

leans  a  small  figure  of  Columbus,  and  one  of  an  Indian 
Chief.  The  former  suggests  the  origin  and  source  of 
our  civilization,  the  other  our  country  in  its  primitive 
a  ays. 

On  the  right  of  the  chair,  in  basso-relievo,  Phaeton 
in  his  chariot,  with  its  steeds,  symbolizes  the  rising 
Bun,  with  the  crest  representing  the  arms  of  the  United 
States. 

The  following  design,  also  in  'basso-relievo,  orna 
ments  the  left  side  of  the  chair.  The  Genius  of 
North  America,  in  the  guise  of  the  young  Hercules, 
is  strangling  the  Serpent  of  Despotism.  That  of 
South  America,  as  Iphiclus,  crouches  to  the  ground, 
fearing  to  enter  upon  the  struggle. 

On  the  back  of  the  chair  is  the  following  inscrip 
tion: 

"SIMULACRUM  ISTUD 
MAGNUM  LIBERTATIS  EXEMPLUM, 

NEC   SINE   EPSA   DURATURUM." 

HOKATTUS  GREENOUGH, 

FAC1EBAT. 

which  has  been  translated  : 

"  This  statue  cast  in  Freedom's  stately  form, 
And  by  her  e'er  upheld." 

HOBATIO  GKEENOUGH,  Sculptor.  j 

The  statue  is  of  one  piece  of  marble,  but  is  not 
pure  white.  Together  with  its  pedestal,  it  weighs 
fourteen  tons.  On  three  sides  of  the  pedestal  are  in 
scribed  the  lines,  "First  in  War — First  in  Peace — and 
First  in  the  Hearts  of  his  Countrymen." 

The  statue   has  been  much   admired,  and  much 


116  THE    SIGHTS    AND    SECRETS 

abused.  Edward  Everett  considered  it  one  of  the 
greatest  works  of  sculpture  of  modern  times.  Others 
have  denounced  it  as  unworthy  of  its  place ;  and  it  is 
hard  to  say  which  are  the  more  numerous,  its  ad 
mirers  or  those  who  condemn  it. 

It  was  finished  in  1843,  having  been  executed  in 
Italy,  and  was  brought  to  the  United  States  in  the 
ship  of  the  line,  Ohio,  no  merchant  vessel  being  able 
to  transport  so  large  a  single  bulk.  It  cost  Congress 
twenty-nVe  thousand  dollars. 

THE   CAPITOL    GROUNDS. 

The  Capitol  Park  covers  an  area  of  several  acres. 
Entering  it  at  the  western  gate,  on  Pennsylvania 
Avenue,  the  broad  walks  lead  us  up  several  nights  of 
stone  stairs,  by  which  we  mount  from  terrace  to  terrace, 
until  we  reach  the  level  of  the  basement  of  the  build 
ing.  The  hill  on  which  the  Capitol  stands  is  between 
eighty  and  ninety  feet  higher  than  the  level  of  the 
western  entrance.  The  terracing  is  handsomely  fin 
ished  in  freestone,  and  gives  to  the  grounds  a  very 
elegant  appearance.  That  portion  in  front  of  the 
building  is  level,  and  is  well  laid  off.  The  entire 
park  is  ornamented  with  handsome  shrubbery  and 
fountains,  and  enclosed  with  an  iron  railing. 

THE    COMMISSIONER  OF   PUBLIC    BUILDINGS. 

The  Capitol,  as  well  as  all  the  other  public  build 
ings  of  the  city  are  in  charge  of  the  Commissioner  of 
Public 'Buildings,  who  has  the  care,  also,  of  all  the 
squares,  parks,  streets,  and  avenues,  under  the  control 


OF   THE   NATIONAL    CAPITAL.  117 

of  the  Government.  He  is  appointed  by  the  President, 
and  it  is  customary  for  him  to  attend  at  the  White 
House  as  usher  at  receptions  and  State  occasions. 
His  office  is  in  the  west  front  of  the  Old  Building  of 
the  Capitol,  and  he  is  assisted  in  his  duties  by  several 
clerks.  The  position  is  one  of  great  responsibility, 
ani  is  always  filled  by  a  man  of  character. 

THE    CAPITOL    POLICE. 

form  a  force  distinct  from  that  of  the  city.  They  are 
uniformed,  and  are  on  duty  in  the  building  and  through 
the  grounds,  day  and  night.  They  are  charged  with 
the  peace  and  safety  of  the  establishment,  and  are  re 
quired  to  exercise  the  utmost  vigilance  over  all  parts 
of  it.  They  are  courteous  and  obliging  to  strangers, 
and  readily  furnish  any  information  desired  of  them. 
They  have  their  headquarters  in  the  basement  of  the 
Old  Building,  where  they  have  also  a  guard-room  for 
the  detention  of  offenders. 


118  THE   SIGHTS    AND    SECRETS 


IV. 


CONGRESS. 

THE  Government  of  the  United  States  is  divided, 
by  the  terms  of  the  Constitution,  into  three  coordinate 
branches — the  Legislative,  the  Executive,  and  the 
Judiciary.  They  are  mutually  dependent  upon  each 
other,  and  yet,  each  is  separate  and  distinct  in  itself, 
and  independent  of  the  others.  It  is  the  task  of  the 
Legislative  to  enact  laws  for  the  government  of  the 
country,  the  duty  of  the  Executive  to  see  that  they  are 
enforced,  and  the  province  of  the  Judiciary  to  pass 
judgment  upon  their  constitutionality,  if  called  upon 
to  do  so. 

The  Legislative  being  the  initiatory  branch  of  the 
working  of  the  Government,  we  shall  glance  at  it 
first : 

The  Congress  of  the  United  States  consists  of  a 
Senate  and  House  of  Representatives,  which  bodies 
are  required  by  the  Constitution  to  assemble,  at  least 
once  a  year,  on  the  first  Monday  in  December,  unless 
they  shall  by  law  appoint  some  other  day.  Every 
Congress  expires  by  law  at  12  o'clock  on  the  4th  day 
of  March,  next  following  the  commencement  of  its 
second  session.  A  majority  of  each  House  is  necessary 
to  constitute  a  quorum  for  the  transaction  of  business, 
but  a  smaller  number  may  adjourn  over  from  day  to 


OP    THE    NATIONAL   CAPITAL.  119 

day.  Either  house  may  adjourn  at  pleasure,  for  a 
period  not  exceeding  three  days,  but,  for  a  longer 
time,  it  is  necessary  for  the  consent  of  the  other  house 
to  be  given.  The  members  of  both  houses  swear  to 
suppoi  t  the  Constitution,  and,  during  their  terms  of 
office,  are  privileged  from  arrest,  except  for  treason, 
felony,  or  breach  of  the  peace. 

THE    SENATE. 

The  Senate  is  composed  of  two  Senators  chosen 
from  each  State  by  the  Legislature,  for  six  years ;  or, 
in  case  of  a  vacancy,  appointed  by  the  Governor,  to 
serve  until  the  next  session  of  the  Legislature.  The 
Constitution  requires  that :  "  No  person  shall  be  a 
Senator  who  shall  not  have  attained  to  the  age  of 
thirty  years,  and  been  nine  years  a  citizen  of  the 
United  States,  and  who  shall  not,  when  elected,  be  an 
inhabitant  of  that  State  for  which  he  shall  be  chosen/ 

The  Senators  are  the  accredited  representatives  of 
the  States,  while  the  members  of  the  Lower  House 
represent  the  people  of  the  Union. 

The  Vice-President  of  the  United  States  is,  by 
virtue  of  his  office,  the  President  of  the  Senate,  and 
occupies  the  chair  during  the  deliberations  of  that 
body ;  but  the  Senate  also  chooses  a  president  pro 
tempore,  wlio  presides  in  the  absence  of  the  regular 
chairman.  The  Vice-President  has  no  voice  in  the  de 
liberations  of  the  Senate,  and  cannot  vote  except  in 
case  of  an  equal  division,  when  he  has  the  casting  vote. 
The  deliberations  of  the  body  are  open,  except  when 
some  special  occasion  renders  it  desirable  to  sit  with 


120  THE    SIGHTS    AND    SECRETS 

closed  doors.  In  such  case,  a  Senator  offers  a  resolution 
that  the  galleries  be  cleared,  and  that  the  Senate  go 
into  secret  session.  The  resolution  is  then  submitted 
to  a  vote,  and,  if  carried,  the  presiding  officer  warns 
all  persons  not  connected  with  the  body  to  leave  the 
hall.  Twelve  o'clock,  noon,  is  the  regular  time  of 
meeting,  but,  late  in  the  session,  an  earlier  hour  is  gen 
erally  appointed,  in  order  to  accomplish  all  the  busi 
ness  before  the  house.  The  officers  of  the  Senate  are, 
a  secretary,  a  sergeant-at-arms,  a  door-keeper,  and  as 
sistant  door-keepers.  They  are  chosen  on  the  second 
Monday  of  the  first  session  of  every  Congress,  but  it  is 
not  usual  to  remove  officers  who  have  given  satisfac 
tion. 

The  Senate  has  the  sole  power  to  try  impeachments, 
to  confirm  or  reject  the  nominations  of  the  Executive 
of  persons  to  fill  the  various  offices  under  the  Govern 
ment,  and  to  ratify  treaties  with  foreign  powers.  The 
Senators  are  generally  men  of  middle  age  or  advanced 
in  years,  and  who  have  filled  offices  and  positions  of 
prominence  and  trust  in  their  own  States  and  in  the 
Federal  Government. 

THE   HOUSE    OF   REPRESENTATIVES, 

or  Lower  House  of  Congress,  is  composed  of  members 
chosen  once  every  two  years  by  the  people  of  the 
States.  Each  member  is  required  to  be  twenty-five 
years  old,  seven  years  a  citizen  of  the  United  States, 
and  a  citizen  of  the  State  in  which  he  is  chosen.  The 
number  of  Representatives  is  limited  to  233,  and  the 
apportionment  of  members  to  population  is  made  every 


OF  THE  NATIONAL  CAPITAL.          121 

ten  years,  as  soon  as  possible  after  the  results  of  the 
last  census  are  known.  Delegates  from  the  Territories 
are  admitted  to  seats  on  the  floor,  but  are  not  entitled 
to  a  vote,  though  they  may  take  part  in  the  debate. 

All  measures  respecting  the  imposition  and  collec 
tion  of  taxes  must  originate  in  the  House  of  Repre 
sentatives.  Other  bills  may  originate  in  the  Senate, 
but  the  consent  of  both  Houses  and  the  approval  of 
the  President,  or  the  passage  of  the  measure  over  the 
veto  of  the  President,  are  necessary  before  any  bill  can 
become  a  law.  Each  House  prescribes  the  rules  for 
its  government,  and  is  the  sole  judge  of  the  qualifica 
tions  of  its  members.  Occasionally  one  House  will 
seek  to  interfere  with  the  affairs  of  the  other  ;  but  such 
conduct  is  sure  to  be  met  with  a  sharp  rebuke  from 
the  offended  body. 

THE  SENATE   IN  SESSION. 

The  Senators  during  their  deliberations  afford  a 
marked  contrast  to  the  Representatives.  In  the  Senate 
Chamber  the  proceedings  are  generally  quiet  and  dig 
nified  ;  in  the  House  noisy  and  without  dignity.  Per 
haps  the  members  of  the  Senate,  having,  as  a  general 
rule,  passed  beyond  the  frivolities  of  their  younger 
contemporaries,  and  having  arrived  at  that  period  of 
life  when  gravity  and  dignity  are  natural  to  man,  de 
serve  no  great  credit  for  this,  after  all.  Certainly 
many  of  them  are  as  bitter  and  violent  partisans  as  any 
Member  of  the  House,  and  there  have  been  occasions 
when  the  Senate  Chamber  has  Keen  the  scene  of  con 
tests  quite  as  exciting  and  disgraceful  as  any  that  have 


122  THE    SIGHTS    AND    SECRETS 

ever  marked  the  annals  of  the  House.  These  occur 
rences,  however,  are  rare  in  the  north  wing  of  the 
Capitol.  There  are  some  fine-looking  men  in  the  Sen 
ate,  but  as  a  general  rule  the  present  members  do  not 
in  any  personal  manner  indicate  their  exalted  posi 
tions. 

As  the  hour  for  meeting  approaches,  the  lobbies  or 
corridors  of  the  Chamber  begin  to  fill  up,  visitors 
drop  into  the  galleries,  and  Senators  straggle  into  their 
seats.  Finally  Mr.  Vice-President  Wade  appears  in 
his  seat,  and  is  at  once  surrounded  by  members  who 
desire  to  speak  with  him.  At  the  moment  for  assem 
bling,  he  brushes  them  by,  rises  in  his  place,  raps  the 
marble  desk  with  his  gavel,  and  calls  the  Senate  to 
order.  A  prayer  is  offered,  and  the  business  of  the 
day  begins  with  the  reading  of  the  journal  of  the  pre 
vious  day's  session. 

The  Senators  at  once  fall  to  work  at  their  task  of 
paying  no  attention  to  what  is  transpiring  in  the  hall. 
Some  are  engaged  in  conversation,  some  in  writing, 
some  in  reading  newspapers,  the  constant  rattle  of 
which  must  make  any  but  old  hands  nervous. 

A  number  of  pages  are  scattered  about  the  hall. 
Tfiey  are  sent  to  and  fro  by  Senators  at  all  times,  with 
out  regard  to  what  is  going  on.  A  Senator  wishing  to 
summon  a  page  claps  his  hands  together  smartly,  with 
a  ringing  sound  which  is  heard  all  over  the  hall.  It  is 
said  that  a  stranger  to  the  place  and  its  customs  was 
once  sitting  in  the  gallery,  absorbed  in  the  debatCj 
which  was  warm  and  rather  personal.  Suddenly  a 
Senator  struck  his  hands  together  for  the  purpose  of 


0*   THE   NATIONAL   CAPITAL.  123 

summoning  a  page.  Our  innocent  friend  immediately 
supposed  that  this  was  designed  for  applause  of  the 
Senator  speaking,  with  whose  cause  he  sympathized 
warmly,  and  bringing  his  hands  into  play  he  made  a 
vigorous  clapping  which  threw  the  whole  Senate  into 
a  rear  of  laughter. 

A  person  unaccustomed  to  the  scene  is  overwhelmed 
with  astonishment  at  the  utter  indifference  manifested 
by  Senators  towards  the  business  of  the  house.  Un 
less  something  of  more  than  usual  interest  is  transpir 
ing,  little  or  no  attention  is  paid  to  any  Senator  who 
may  have  the  floor.  So  deeply  does  every  one  seem  to 
be  interested  in  his  own  affairs,  that  it  is  surprising 
that  any  Senator  should  ever  be  able  to  vote  intelligi- 
gently  on  the  majority  of  the  questions  presented  to  the 
house.  Indeed,  it  is  no  uncommon  thing  to  see  Sena 
tors  so  much  absorbed  in  their  private  affairs,  or  in 
conversation,  as  to  forget  to  answer  to  their  names 
when  the  vote  is  taken  by  a  call  of  the  house. 

PERSONAL   SKETCHES. 

From  the  gallery  an  excellent  view  can  be  obtained 
of  the  Senate  in  session.  Diagrams  are  sold  in  the 
corridor  connecting  the  North  Wing  to  the  old  build 
ing,  by  means  of  which  the  occupants  of  the  seats  in 
the  hall  can  be  distinguished. 

That  sour-faced,  sickly-looking  gentleman  occupy 
ing  the  chair  of  the  presiding  officer,  is 

SENATOR    WADE, 

of  Ohio,  the   Acting  Vice-President  of  the   United 


124  THE    SIGHTS    AND    SECRETS 

States,  or  as  he  is  more  familiarly  known,  "  Old  Ben 
Wade."  Mr.  Wade  is  in  his  sixty-ninth  year,  and  is  a 
native  of  Massachusetts.  He  began  life  as  a  school 
teacher,  but  soon  after  removed  to  Ohio,  and  turned 
farmer.  Being  of  an  ambitious  nature,  he  studied  law, 
and  was  admitted  to  the  bar  in  1828.  Engaging  ac 
tively  from  the  first  in  politics,  he  has  been  successively 
Justice  of  the  Peace,  Prosecuting  Attorney,  State  Sena 
tor,  Judge  of  the  Circuit  Court,  and  United  States 
Senator.  He  was  elected  President  pro  tempore  of  the 
Senate  in  March,  1867,  and  in  this  way  became  Acting 
Vice-President  of  the  United  States.  He  is  now  serv 
ing  his  third  term  in  the  Senate,  which  expires  in  March, 
1869. 

Old  Ben's  ambition  to  be  President  came  very  near 
being  gratified  when  President  Johnson  was  impeached 
last  spring,  and  it  is  said  that  not  a  few  of  the  honor 
able  members  of  the  august  Court  were  sadly  afraid 
of  such  a  termination  of  the  trial,  as  they  feared  that 
once  in  the  White  House,  Old  Ben  Would  secure  trie 
Chicago  nomination  for  himself. 

As  his  countenance  indicates,  Mr.  Wade  is  a  man 
of  strong  feelings  and  prejudices,  and  if  he  is  a  good 
friend,  he  is  also  a  good  hater.  He  is  not  given  to 
concealing  his  opinions  of  men  and  measures,  but  speaks 
them  with  a  boldness  and  sharpness  which  has  made 
him  many  enemies.  He  is  a  thin,  wiry  man,  with  a 
shrewd,  nervous  face.  His  voice  is  shrill,  and  is  that  of 
an  invalid.  Se  dresses  in  black,  which  gives  him  a 
melancholy  appearance. 

Mr.  Wade   was   amongst   the  candidates   for  the 


OF   THE   NATIONAL   CAPITAL.  125 

Chicago  nomination,  and  is  said  to  have  been  disap 
pointed  by  his  lack  of  success.  He  was  very  anxious 
to  ascertain  General  Grant's  political  views  during  the 
stormy  period  of  the  past  year,  and  endeavored  to  ap- 
ply  the  pumping  process  to  the  reticent  hero.  "  But," 
says  he,  in  describing  his  interview,  "  whenever  I'd  talk 
politics  to  Gen.  Grant,  he'd  talk  horse  to  me,  and  I 
couldn't  get  a  word  out  of  him."  Grant  quietly  re 
marked,  upon  hearing  of  this  complaint,  that  he  knew 
more  about  horses  than  Ben.  Wade  did  about  politics. 

SENATOR  MORTON 

sits  in  the  second  seat  from  the  central  aisle  in  the  front 
row,  on  the  Vice- President's  right.  He  is  the  Repub 
lican  Senator  from  Indiana,  and  has  recently  come  into 
prominence  in  consequence  of  his  views  and  action  re 
specting  the  financial  question. 
Three  seats  on  his  left,  is 

SENATOR  POMEROY, 

of  Kansas,  a  large,  fine-looking  man,  with  a  bold,  high 
forehead  and  a  bushy  beard.  Mr.  Pomeroy  is  one  of 
the  leaders  of  the  Republican  party,  and  was  particu 
larly  active  and  bold  in  his  advocacy  of  the  measures 
which  terminated  in  the  impeachment  of  President 
Johnson.  He  is  a  native  of  Massachusetts,  and  went 
to  Kansas  in  1854,  in  charge  of  a  colony,  as  the  agent 
of  the  New  England  Emigrant  Aid  Society.  He  has 
figured  very  prominently  in  the  politics  of  his  adopted 
State,  and  is  now  serving  his  second  term  in  the  Senate. 
Two  seats  to  his  left  is  the  desk  of  Mr.  William 


126  THE    SIGHTS    AND    SECRETS 

Pinckney  Whyte,  the  new  Senator  from  Maryland,  a 
handsome  man,  and  an  accomplished  orator.  Mr. 
Whyte  is  the  successor  of 

BEVEKDY  JOHNSON, 

our  present  Minister  to  England.  Mr.  Johnson  was  by 
common  consent  regarded  as  the  ablest  man  in  the 
Senate.  He  was  a  Democrat  in  politics,  but  was  so 
extremely  popular  with  and  so  much  respected  by  his 
Republican  colleagues  that  his  nomination  to  the  posi 
tion  he  now  holds  was  confirmed  by  the  Senate  with 
out  even  the  usual  reference  to  a  Committee. 

We  do  not  design  referring  to  Mr.  Johnson  as  a 
Senator,  however,  but  have  seized  the  occasion  which 
the  mention  of  his  name  offers  to  present  the  follow 
ing  characteristic  anecdotes  concerning  him,  which 
are  related  by  one  of  his  friends.  The  writer  referred 
to,  says : 

"  It  is  difficult  to  conceive  upon  what  principles,  or 
from  what  motive  diplomatic,  William  of  the  State  De 
partment  selected  the  gay  old  Reverdy  for  his  agent  to 
negotiate  the  Alabama  claims.  It  is  whispered  here 
that  the  appointment  came  of  an  after-dinner  talk,  in 
which  the  choice  old  wines  of  Reverdy's  cellar  had 
more  to  do  with  the  selection  than  the  sober  second 
thoughts  of  the  Secretary.  I  do  not  know  how  much 
truth  there  may  be  in  that  suggestion,  but  I  do  know 
that  the  Hon.  Reverdy  and  the  Hon.  Billy  are  open  to 
the  suspicion. 

"Reverdy  Johnson  is  one  of  the  gayest  old  gentle 
men  in  or  about  Washington,  I  crossed  the  Atlantic 


OF   THE   NATIONAL    CAPITAL.  127 

with  him  once,  and,  from  the  time  we  left  port  until 
w£  entered  port,  he  kept  the  ship  in  an  excited  state 
over  .his  jests  and  practical  jokes.  I  was  in  no  condi 
tion  to  enjoy  them,  for  I  was  deathly  sea-sick — so  sick  I 
could  not  stay  below,  but  wrapped  in  blankets,  remain 
ed,  night  and  day,  rain  or  shine,  on  deck.  The  Collins 
Line  could  roll  somewhat,  and  when  not  rolling,  any 
one  of  the  lot  could  pitch  with  remarkable  activity.  I 
used  to  lay  upon  my  back,  and  repeat  all  that  I  could 
remember  to  the  discredit  of  old  Ocean,  and  to  me 
would  come  old  Reverdy  to  worry  my  head  with  all 
sorts  of  queer  suggestions.  I  told  him  one  day,  in  re 
sponse  to  a  question  as  to  what  I  was  thinking  about, 
that  I  was  constructing,  or  studying  the  construction 
of  a  raft  in  case  of  accident. 

ut Well,'  he  said,  'what's  your  idea  V 

" '  Do  you  see  those  two  corpulent  old  ladies  ? '  I 
replied. 

"'Certainly.' 

" '  Well,  I  intend  to  lash  them  together  and  launch, 
as  the  ship  goes  down.' 

" '  What  a  lovely  design,1  he  exclaimed,  rapturous 
ly  ;  '  and  I'll  get  up  my  trunk  and  go  with  you.  Do 
you  know  that  a  voyage  at  sea  always  brings  up  the 
old  cannibal  in  my  nature.  I  want  to  eat  somebody. 
Now  we'll  get  a  carving-knife  and  cut  out  steaks,  and 
eat  as  we  sail.' r 

"•  The  next  day  he  came  to  me  with  a  very  sad  ex 
pression  on  his  funny  old  face. 

"  '  Do  you  know,  P,,1  he  said, '  your  raft  is  a  no  go ; 
it  won't  work,' 


128  THE    SIGHTS    AND    SECRETS 

"  '  Why,  what's  the  matter  ? ' 

" '  One  end  of  our  raft  says  that  if  any  tiling 
pens  to  this  vessel  she  is  going  to  lock  herself  jip  in 
her  state-room.1 

"  '  What  is  that  for  ?  ' 

"'She  says  she  cannot  bear  the  thought  of  being 
eaten  by  the  monstei-s  of  the  deep.' 

"  '  She  don't  know  that  a  monster  is  this  minute 
eyeing  her  anxiously,  with  a  carving-knife  in  his  coat- 
tail  pocket.' 

"  After  that  my  friend  got  the  poor  old  lady  near 
me,  and  argued  seriously  upon  the  wickedness  of  not 
making  a  last  effort  for  her  life,  by  remaining  on  deck  to 
the  last  moment.  And  with  a  comical  look  he  would  ask 
in  an  undertone,  'Where  have  you  got  your  ropes,  P.?' 

"  One  night  the  engines  suddenly  stopped  their 
tireless  throbbing,  and  the  ship  lay  rocking  on  the  long 
swell  in  ominons  silence.  The  wildest  alarm  ran 
through  the  vessel.  So  many  painful  accidents  had 
recently  occurred  that  any  change  brought  apprehen. 
sion.  Reverdy  was  engaged  in  a  quiet  game  of  cards 
in  the  cabin.  It  was  nearly  midnight,  and  a  majority 
of  the  passengers  were  in  their  state-rooms.  Reverdy 
heard  the  alarm,  and  at  once  hastened  to  the  state-room 
of  a  gentleman  from  New  York,  a  banker  by  profes 
sion,  and  one  so  economical  in  his  way — well,  not  to 
put  too  fine  a  point  on  it,  so  miserly,  that  Mr.  Johnson 
especially  disliked  him.  Pounding  loudly  on  his  door, 
he  roared  :  • 

"  '  Get,  up,  K.,  get  up.  Put  on  a  clean  shirt.  You'll 
be  in  —  in  five  minutes.' 


OF   THE   NATIONAL    CAPITAL.  129 

<f  .The  poor  man  hurried  on  his  clothes,  all  the  while 
in  intense  alarm  for  the  cause  of  the  trouble. 


'  Haven't  you  any  baggage  you  want  to  save  ? ' 
askedTthe  joker. 

" '  Yes,  yes,'  and  he  seized  hold  of  a  long  trunk. 

u  *  Never  mind  your  clothes,  man ;  here,  I'll  help 
you.' 

"  And  the  two,  one  very  decollette  as  to  dress,  stag 
gered  through  the  cabins  and  up  the  winding  stairs  to 
the  deck.  Then  his  tormentor  told  him  to  sit  down 
until  he  learned  something  of  the  condition  of  affairs. 
Soon  he  returned  with  the  welcome  intelligence  that  it 
was  a  false  alarm. 

"  4  Now,  K.,  you  can't  go  through  the  cabins  in  that 
condition  ;  they  are  full  of  ladies.  Wait  here  until  I 
get  them  out  of  the  way.' 

u  He  left  the  poor  victim  in  bare  legs,  sitting  on 
his  treasure.  The  wind  blew  as  it  always  will  blow  at 
sea,  and  his  teeth  chattered  as  the  minutes  wore  away, 
and  no  friend  returned.  At  last  he  procured  a  blanket 
from  a  servant,  and,  wrapped  in  this,  stalked  through 
the  cabins,  to  find  his  tormentor  quietly  at  his  cards 
again,  quite  oblivious  to  the  condition  of  things  he  had 
left -on  deck." 

The  old  gentleman  whose  bald  head  glistens  so 
brightly  immediately  behind  Senator  Pomeroy,  is 
Senator  Van  Winkle,  of  West  Virginia,  The  gentle 
man  on  his  right  is 

SENATOR   HENDRICKS, 

of  Indiana,  the  Jeader  of  the  Democratic  party  in  the 
9 


,' 


1 

I 
130  THE    SIGHTS    AND    SECRETS 


Senate.  Mr  Hendricks  bears  his  half-century  o£ 
well,  and  is  still  a  young  looking  man.  He  ia  finely 
made,  erect  and  square-shouldered,  and  possesses  one 
of  the  most  striking  faces  in  the  whole  body.  He  is 
profoundly  learned,  a  brilliant  orator,  fearless  and 
eloquent  in  defence  of  his  principles,  and  extremely 
popular  with  both  parties  in  the  Senate.  He  gained 
much  eclat  by  his  eloquent  defence  of  President  John 
son  during  the  impeachment  proceedings.  He  was 
recently  defeated  as  the  Democratic  candidate  for  Gov 
ernor  of  Indiana. 

Senator  Buckalew,  of  Pennsylvania,  one  of  the 
ablest  members  of  the  body,  sits  next  to  him,  and  the 
second  on  the  right  of  the  Pennsylvania  Senator,  is 

SENATOE   SPEAGUE, 

of  Rhode  Island.  He  seems  a  mere  boy,  as  seen  from 
the  galleries,  and  even  the  glasses  and  moustache  which 
he  sports,  fail  to  give  him  a  manly  look.  He  is  the 
youngest  member  of  the  Senate,  being  only  thirty- 
eight.  He  has  a  dissipated,  blasee  appearance,  and  is 
said  to  be  rather  a  lively  Senator.  He  is  the  Chair 
man  of  the  Committee  on  Manufactures,  being  himself 
one  of  the  wealthiest  and  most  prominent  factors  in 
the  Union.  "When  he  was  only  thirty-one  years  of 
age,  he  was  elected  Governor  of  his  native  State.  He 
served,  during  the  first  campaign  of  the  late  war,  with 
the  First  Rhode  Island  Regiment.  He  is  one  of  the 
wealthiest  men  in  the  country,  and  is  the  husband  of 
the  eldest  daughter  of  Chief- Justice  Chase. 


OP   THE    NATIONAL    CAPITAL.  131 

JOHN   SHERMAN, 

the  vigorous  young  statesman  of  Ohio,  and  a  brother 
of  our  great  soldier,  sits  on  Governor  Sprague's  right. 
Mr.  Sherman  is  regarded  as  the  coming  financial  geniua 
of  the  Senate,  and  is  now  the  head  of  the  important 
Committee  on  Agriculture. 

Just  back  of  him,  in  the  third  seat  from  the  centre 
aisle,  sits 

KOSCOE    CONKLING, 

of  New -York.  Mr.  Conkling  is  a  comparatively  new 
member,  but  is  considered  very  promising.  He  is  slow 
and  heavy  as  a  speaker,  but  is  regarded  as  one  of  the 
working  men  of  the  Senate.  He  is  tall  and  well  made, 
and  has  a  florid  complexion,  with  light,  sandy  hair  and 
beard.  He  resides  in  Utica,  N.  Y.,  which  is  also  the 
home  of  Ex-Governor  Seymour,  the  recent  Democratic 
candidate  for  the  Presidency.  These  gentlemen  are 
brothers-in-law.  This  relationship  gave  rise  to  an 
amusing  incident  during  the  past  campaign.  A  sere 
nade  was  given  to  Governor  Seymour,  soon  after  his 
nomination,  by  the  townspeople  of  Utica.  Senator 
Conkling  was  at  his  brother-in-law's  quarters  at  the 
time,  and  was  soon  called  on  for  a  speech.  He  com 
plied  with  the  request,  and  proceeded  good-naturedly 
to  state  that  he  should  not  vote  for  his  relative,  as 
General  Grant  was  his  choice.  An  Irishman  in  the 
crowd,  not  understanding  how  men  so  closely  allied 
could  differ  in  their  political  views,  and  evidently  think 
ing  Mr.  Seymour  the  bigger  fish  of  the  two,  and  enti- 


132  THE    SIGHTS    AND    SECRETS 

tied  to  the  support  of  all  his  relatives,  here  cried  out 
wrathfully,  u  Arrah  !  shut  up,  ye  spalpeen.  Youv'e 
gone  back  on  your  own  brother-in-law."  This  sally 
was  greeted  by  the  throng  with  a  shout  of  laughter, 
in  which  Mr.  Conkling  joined  heartily. 


of  Kentucky,  sits  two  desks  on  the  left  of  Mr.  Conk- 
ling,  and  by  the  side  of  the  other  Kentucky  Senator, 
Mr.  McCreery.  Mr.  Davis  is  regarded  as  the  most 
querulous  and  critical  member  of  the  Senate.  It  is  his 
fortune  to  dissent  from  almost  every  measure  brought 
forward,  and  to  assail  it  in  no  measured  terms. 

The  seat  of  Mr.  Saulsbury,  of  Delaware,  is  the  sec 
ond  on  the  left  of  Mr.  Davis.  That  gentleman  is  rarely 
to  be  seen  in  a  sitting  posture,  however,  as  he  passes 
the  most  of  his  time  in  pacing  up  and  down  the  Cham 
ber,  being  of  too  nervous  a  temperament  to  remain  still 
for  any  length  of  time. 

Three  seats  on  his  left  is  Mr.  Patterson,  of  Tennes 
see,  the  son-in-law  of  President  Johnson. 

Senators  Ferry,  of  Connecticut,  Conness,  of  Califor 
nia,  Morrill,  of  Vermont,  and  Anthony,  of  Rhode  Isl 
and,  are  the  prominent  men  occupying  the  front  row 
of  seats  on  the  left  of  the  Chair. 

In  the  second  row,  the  seat  adjoining  the  central 
aisle  is  that  of  Senator  Dixon,  of  Connecticut.  Next 
to  him,  sits 

SENATOR  FESSENDEN, 

s 

of  Maine,  the   Chairman  of  the  Finance  Committee, 


OF  THE  NATIONAL  CAPITAL.          133 

and  Judge  Chase's  successor  as  Secretary  of  the  Treas< 
ary.  He  is  sixty-three  years  old,  but  one  of  the  finest- 
looking  men  in  the  Senate.  His  commanding  abilities 
have  made  him  one  of  the  leaders  of  the  Republican 
party,  and  his  unspotted  purity  of  character  has  given 
him  more  moral  weight  in  the  deliberations  of  the  Sen 
ate  than  any  other  member  possesses.  Although  a 
stern  Republican,  he  voted  for  the  acquittal  of  Presi 
dent  Johnson  in  the  impeachment  trial,  and  not  all  the 
threats  or  blandishments  of  his  party  could  move  him 
in  the  slightest  from  what  he  regarded  as  the  path  of 
duty.  Mr.  Lincoln's  estimate  of  him  may  be  inferred 
from  the  following  incident,  related  by  Mr.  F.  B.  Car 
penter  : 

Mi1.  Chase  had  resigned,  and  it  was  necessary  to 
select  a  successor.  Mr.  Lincoln  decided  to  nominate 
Mr.  Fessenden  for  the  position.  "The  next  morning 
he  went  to  his  office  and  wrote  the  nomination.  John 
Hay,  the  Assistant  Private  Secretary,  had  taken  it  from 
the  President  on  his  way  to  the  Capitol,  when  he  en 
countered  Senator  Fessenden  on  the  threshold  of  the 
room.  As  Chairman  of  the  Finance  Committee,  he  had 
called  thus  early  to  consult  with  the  President,  and  of 
fer  some  suggestions.  After  a  few  moments'  conver 
sation,  Mr.  Lincoln  turned  to  him  with  a  smile,  and  said: 
ll  am  much  obliged  to  you,  Fessenden,  but  the  fact  is, 
I  have  just  sent  your  own  name  to  the  Senate  for  Sec 
retary  of  the  Treasury.  Hay  had  just  received  the 
Domination  from  my  hand  as  you  entered.'  Mr.  Fes 
senden  was  taken  completely  by  surprise,  and,  very 
much  agitated,  protested  his  inability  to  accept  tho 


184  THE    SIGHTS    AND    SECRETS 

position.  The  state  of  his  health,  he  said,  if  no  other 
consideration,  made  it  impossible.  Mr.  Lincoln  would 
not  accept  the  refusal  as  final.  He  very  justly  felt  that 
with  Mr.  Fessenden's  experience  and  known  ability  at 
the  head  of  the  Finance  Committee,  his  acceptance 
would  go  far  towards  re-establishing  a  feeling  of  securi 
ty.  He  said  to  him,  very  earnestly,  '  Fessenden,  the 
Lord  has  not  deserted  me  thus  far,  and  He  is  not  going 
to  now, — you  must  accept ! '  " 

Two  seats  on  his  right  sits  the  burly  Massachusetts 
Senator  Henry  Wilson,  whose  immense  frame  looms 
up  boldly  when  he  rises  to  speak.  Mr.  Wilson's  suc 
cessful  rise  from  a  shoemaker's  bench  to  the  seat  of  a 
Senator  of  the  United  States  affords  a  brilliant  example 
to  our  young  men,  and  splendidly  illustrates  this  glori 
ous  feature  of  our  system  of  Government. 


LTMAN   TRUMBULL 


of  Illinois,  sits  two  seats  on  Wilson's  right.  He  was 
one  of  the  original  Republicans,  when  to  bear  that 
name  required  more  patriotism  and  courage  than  it 
does  now.  He  was  the  colleague  of  Stephen  A.  Doug 
las,  and  many  a  tilt  have  these  two  intellectual  giants 
had  in  this  beautiful  Chamber.  He  is  one  of  the  ablest 
and  most  upright  members  of  the  Senate.  He  is  a  native 
of  Connecticut,  but  removed  to  Illinois  when  a  young 
man. 

Mr.  Frelinghuysen,  the  handsome  New  Jersey  Sen 
ator,  and  one  of  the  marked  men  of  the  Senate,  sits  on 
Judge  Trumbull's  left. 


OP  THE  NATIONAL  CAPITAL.          135 

The  tall,  gray-haired   man  sitting   two  desks  on 
Mr.  Frelinghuysen's  right,  in  the  back  row,  is 


SIMON   CAMERON, 


of  Pennsylvania.  Nearly  fifty  years  ago,  a  barefooted 
boy  floated  down  the  Susquehanna  River  on  a  raft,  and 
arrived  at  Harrisburg,  Pennsylvania.  He  came  from 
the  northern  part  of  the  State,  and  belonged  to  a  large 
family.  He  had  all  his  earthly  goods  tied  up  in  his 
red  and  yellow  pocket-handkerchief.  He  sought  em 
ployment  immediately  upon  his  arrival  at  Harrisburg, 
and  at  length  after  a  good  deal  of  difficulty  obtained  it 
in  a  printing-office,  as  apprentice.  From  an  appren 
tice,  he  rose  to  be  a  journeyman  ;  then  to  be  a  reporter 
in  the  State  Legislature — then  an  editor. 

The  barefooted  boy  had  thus  worked  his  way  against 
obstacles  which  only  the  poor  know ;  but  he  at  length 
began  to  realize  the  fruits  of  his  patient  toil  and  priva 
tion.  He  became  printer  to  the  State,  and  by  frugal 
management  was  soon  enabled  to  accomplish  the  object 
nearest  to  his  heart — the  establishment  of  his  mother 
in  a  home  surrounded  with  every  comfort  she  could 
desire. 

His  brothers  were  his  next  care ;  and  like  Napo 
leon,  he  had  a  strong  arm  with  which  to  aid  them — an 
indomitable  perseverance  that  nothing  could  success 
fully  obstruct.  In  a  few  years  they,  too,  with  his  sis 
ters,  were  independent  of  the  world.  The  once  bare' 
footed  boy  was  in  possession  of  affluence,  and  surrounded 
by  a  young  and  affectionate  family. 

But  he  did  not  stop  here.      He  was  the  friend  of 


136  THE    SIGHTS    AND    SECRETS 

the  friendless,  the  patron  of  merit,  the  encourager  of 
industry.  He  rose  in  honor  and  in  office,  until  the 
poor  barefooted  boy,  who  entered  a  printing-office  hun 
gry  and  weary,  and  laid  down  his  little  bundle  on  a  pile 
of  wet  paper,  was  elected  a  Senator  in  the  Congress  of 
the  United  States,  and  afterwards  chosen  Secretary  of 
War  by  President  Lincoln.  Such  has  been  the  life 
of  Simon  Cameron. 

During  his  term  in  the  War  Department,  General 
Cameron  made  many  enemies,  and  the  President 
was  literally  besieged  with  requests  to  remove  him. 
Speaking  of  the  visit  of  a  delegation  for  this  purpose, 
Mr.  Lincoln  said : 

"  They  talked  very  glibly,  especially  a  man  named 

G ,  from  Boston,  and  I  finally  told  them  as  much 

— addinsr,  nevertheless,  that  I  was  not  convinced. 

O/  / 

'  Now,  gentlemen,1  said  I,  '  if  you  want  General  Cam 
eron  removed,  you  have  only  to  bring  me  one  proved 
case  of  dishonesty,  and  I  promise  you  his  u  head ; " 
but  I  assure  you  I  am  not  going  to  act  on  what  seems 
to  me  the  most  unfounded  gossip.' " 

Zack  Chandler,  of  Michigan,  is  in  the  second  seat 
on  Cameron's  left,  and  Senator  Nye,  of  Nevada,  in  the 
second  seat  on  Chandler's  left. 

The  next  seat  is  that  of 

CHARLES   STJMNER, 

of  Massachusetts. 

The  merits  of  no  other  Senator  have  l>een  disputed 
as  warmly  as  those  of  Mr.  Sumner.  He  is  confessedly 
one  of  the  most  accomplished  men  in  the  Senate.  His 


OP   THE   NATIONAL    CAPITAL.  13? 

enemies,  however,  charge  him  with  being  lacking  in 
practical  sense,  and  in  natural  ability — qualities  which 
his  friends  claim  for  him  in  the  highest  degree.  The  late 
Count  Gurowski  said  of  him  :  "  Sunmer  is  a  little  afraid 
of  losing  ground  with  the  English  guardians  of  civiliza 
tion.  Sumner  is  full  of  good  wishes,  of  generous  con 
ceptions,  and  is  the  man  for  the  millennium.  Sunmer 
lacks  the  keen,  sharp,  piercing  appreciation  of  com 
mon  events.  *  *  *  Sumner  attributes  to  envy  his 
anomalous  position  with  the  best  men  on  the  Repub 
lican  side.  He  cannot  understand  that  it  is  his  scholar 
ly  pretensions  which  render  him  unpalatable  to  his 
colleagues.  His  cold  rhetoric  falls  powerless  at  their 
feet,  and  no  Senator  envies  him  his  fertility  in  random 
quotations." 

Mr.  Sumner  is  the  Chairman  of  the  Committee  of 
Foreign  Affairs.  His  position  natuially  brings  him 
into  constant  intercourse  with  the  State  Department, 
and  it  is  said  that  a  decided  jealousy  exists  between 
Mr.  Seward  and  himself.  He  was  much  esteemed  by 
Mr.  Lincoln  ;  and,  to  his  honor  be  it  said,  was  one  of 
the  few  friends  who  remained  true  to  the  widow  and 
family  of  the  martyr,  after  power  and  patronage  had 
passed  out  of  their  hands. 

SENATOR    MORGAN, 

of  New  York,  sits  on  Mr.  Sumner's  left.  He  is  one  of 
the  finest  looking  men  in  the  body,  and  is  very  wealthy. 
As  Governor  of  the  State  of  New  York,  during  the 
Rebellion,  he  rendered  efficient  service  to  the  country, 
in  furnishing  men  for  the  army.  He  is  very  popular 


138  THE    SIGHTS    AND    SECRETS 

in  the  Senate,  in  which  body  he  possesses  considerable 
influence. 

SENATOR    YATES, 

of  Illinois,  sits  on  Mr.  Morgan's  left.  He  was  Gover 
nor  of  his  State  at  the  time  of  the  breaking  out  of  the 
Rebellion,  and  was  the  first  to  assign  General  Grant 
to  duty.  It  is  his  boast  that  he  "  made  Grant,"  though 
the  country  does  not  thoroughly  appreciate  the  boast. 
Mr.  Yates  has  the  appearance  of  a  well-to-do  parson, 
and  would  easily  pass  for  one,  were  it  not  that  his  face 
too  plainly  indicates  a  certain  weakness  for  which  he 
feels  called  upon  to  apologize,  periodically,  to  his 
"dear  constituents."  Mr.  Yates  is  an  able  man,  and  is 
worthy  of  a  better  fate  than  that  which  he  courts. 
The  last  seat  in  this  row  is  that  of 

SENATOR   DOOLITTLE, 

of  Wisconsin.  The  name,  in  this  case,  is  not  indic 
ative  of  the  character  of  the  man,  as  Mr.  Doolittle  is 
one  of  the  most  industrious  men  in  the  Senate.  He  is 
also  a  man  of  great  ability,  and  unblemished  integrity, 
and,  to  his  credit  be  it  said,  will  retire  a  poor  man  at 
the  end  of  his  term.  He  is  a  Democrat  in  politics, 
and  was  one  of  the  ablest  champions  the  President 
possessed  during  the  recent  impeachment  proceedings, 

CHOOSING    SENATORS. 

The  post  of  United  States  Senator  is  one  of  the 
proudest  in  the  Government,  and  its  occupant  is  the 
dispenser  of  much  power  and  patronage.  Conse- 


OP   THE   NATIONAL   CAPITAL.  139 

quently,  the  position  is  much  sought  after.  A  vacancy 
is  sure  to  cause  a  scramble  amongst  the  politicians. 
All  sorts  of  arguments  and  persuasions  are  brought  to 
bear  upon  the  various  legislatures  charged  with  the 
duty  of  making  a  choice  of  Senators.  The  newspapers 
for  the  coming  year  will  be  full  of  disclosures  upon  this 
subject,  as  a  number  of  Senators  are  to  be  chosen  be 
fore  the  spring.  Some  of  the  practices  resorted  to,  to 
secure  the  elections,  will  be  found  to  be  not  the  most 
upright  in  the  world. 

THE   HOUSE    IN   SESSION. 

Some  years  ago,  an  English  traveller  wrote  as  fol 
lows,  concerning  the  sessions  of  the  House  of  Repre 
sentatives  in  the  old  Hall : 

"  These  beautiful  chambers  are  calculated  to  make 
an  impression  very  favorable  to  the  dignity  of  the 
deliberative  assemblies  which  occupy  them ;  and  the 
general  appearance  of  the  members  does  not  materially 
impair  it.  Many  of  them  have  the  appearance  of 
English  country  gentlemen  ;  and  a  considerable  por 
tion  of  them  are  lawyers,  who  carry  in  their  faces  those 
marks  of  intellectual  exertion,  which  seem  to  plead 
some  apology  for  having  sacrificed  little  to  the  graces. 
Some  of  the  members  from  the  western  country,  in 
deed,  would  look  a  little  queer  in  our  House  of  Com 
mons.  The  proceedings,  both  of  the  Senate  and 
House  of  Representatives,  seem  to  be  conducted  with 
great  order  and  decorum,  and  with  a  courtesy  and 
attention  to  the  feelings  of  honorable  gentlemen,  which 
I  was  not  prepared  to  expect.  The  style  of  their  best 


140  THE    SIGHTS    AND    SECRETS 

speakers  is  fluent,  forcible,  and  perspicuous;  and  in 
cases  where  it  is  not  possible  that  their  arguments 
should  be  sound,  they  seldom  fail  to  be  specious  and 
acute.  My  friend,  who  would,  I  believe,  be  consid 
ered  the  first  authority  on  the  subject,  told  me  that 
he  considered  their  two  prominent  faults  to  be,  a 
proneness  to  engage  in  dissertation,  and  to  pursue  the 
investigation  of  a  difficult  question,  which  had  been 
started  incidentally  in  the  coarse  of  the  debate,  with 
out  ascertaining  whether  its  solution  was  absolutely 
necessary  to  the  original  discussion.  He  regards  the 
frequent  change  of  members  in  the  House  of  Repre 
sentatives  as  inimical  to  the  acquisition  of  that  knowl 
edge,  or  the  formation  of  those  habits,  so  desirable  in 
a  deliberative  assembly;  and  deprecates  the  custom 
into  which  they  have  fallen  of  referring  every  thing  to 
committees,  as  tending,  in  effect,  to  leave  to  the  de 
cision  of  a  few,  many  questions  which  ought  to  be 
argued  upon  general  principles,  by  the  House  at 
large. 

a  It  is  usual  for  ladies  to  attend  when  any  interest 
ing  debate  is  expected.  Ordinarily,  they  are  admitted 
only  into  the  gallery;  but  instances  have  occurred, 
•when  they  have  been  allowed  a  seat  on  the  floor.  The 
reporters  for  the  newspapers  have  a  seat  assigned  them 
behind  the  Speaker's  chair.  Except  when  some  re 
markably  good  speaker  has  possession  of  the  floor,  the 
member,  instead  of  attending  to  what  is  spoken,  are 
busy  in  conversation,  in  writing  letters,  rapping  the 
sand  off  the  wet  ink  with  their  knuckles,  rustling  the 
countless  newspapers  which,  deluge  the  House,  locking 


OF   THE    NATIONAL   CAPITAL.  141 

or  unlocking  their  drawers,  or  moving  up  and  down 
the  avenues  which  divide  the  ranges  of  seats,  and  kick 
ing  before  them,  at  every  step,  printed  reports,  letter 
covers,  and  other  documents  strewed  on  the  floor.  A 
couple  of  active  little  bo}7s  are  always  seen  running  to 
and  fro  with  armfuls  of  papers,  or  carrying  slips  of 
writing  from  members  to  the  Chair,  or  from  member 
to  member.  Whenever  any  one  rises  to  speak,  who, 
there  is  reason  to  infer,  from  experience  or  from  inter 
nal  evidence,  will  be  lengthy,  one  of  these  little  Mer 
curies  flies  off  for  a  glass  of  water,  which  he  places  on 
the  orator's  desk." 

"What  Congress  was  then,  it  is  now,  except  that  the 
confusion  and  noise  in  the  hall  have  increased.  The 
number  of  pages  has  been  multiplied  several  times,  and 
are  still  kept  quite  busy.  Sometimes  the  Speaker  has 
hard  work  to  preserve  order  in  the  House.  Members 
are  very  unruly,  and  give  the  Chair  a  world  of  trouble. 
You  see  them  obstructing  the  aisles,  talking  and  laugh 
ing  in  a  tone  which  is  audible  in  any  part  of  the  hall, 
or  sitting  with  their  feet  elevated  on  their  desks,  often 
times  fast  asleep.  If  any  thing  of  interest  attracts  them 
away  from  the  hall,,  they  leave  it  in  such  numbers  that 
the  House  is  often  without  a  quorum,  and  the  Speaker 
is  forced  to  compel  their  attendance  by  the  Sergeant- 
at- Arms. 

DISGRACEFUL   SCENES   IN   THE   HOUSE. 

There  are  bitter  rivalries  and  heartburnings  be 
tween  the  members,  and  these  often  lead  to  outbreaks 
as  fierce  and  disgraceful  as  those  which  marked  the  old 


142  THE    SIGHTS    AND    SECRETS 

slavery  contests  before  the  war.  As  a  general  rule, 
the  disputes  on  the  floor  are  not  carried  into  private 
life,  and  political  enemies  are  often  warm  friends  in 
private ;  but  there  are  frequent  instances  where  differ 
ences,  not  only  between  Republican  and  Democrat,  but 
between  men  of  the  same  party,  have  been  followed 
by  the  fiercest  and  most  uncompromising  hostility  at 
all  times  and  in  all  places.  The  lie  is  given  freely  on 
the  floor  of  the  House,  and  members  bandy  the  most 
insulting  epithets  with  true  bar-room  proficiency.  The 
disgraceful  scenes  which  marked  the  quarrel  of  Messrs. 
Donnelly  and  Washburne,  last  summer,  are  of  frequent 
occurrence  in  Congress.  The  Thirty-ninth  Congress, 
which  expired  on  the  4th  of  March,  1867,  is  famous  as 
having  been  the  most  orderly  and  respectable  body 
that  has  assembled  in  the  Capitol  for  many  years.  Yet 
even  in  this  model  assemblage,  the  following  shameful 
occurrences  took  place.  The  record  is  taken  from 
Barnes'  History  of  the  Thirty -ninth  Congress: 

"  On  one  occasion,  Mr.  Chanler,  of  New  York,  sub 
mitted  a  resolution,  '  that  the  independent,  patriotic, 
and  constitutional  course  of  the  President  of  the  United 
States,  in  seeking  to  protect,  by  veto  power,  the  rights 
of  the  people  of  this  Union  against  the  wicked  and 
revolutionary  acts  of  a  few  malignant  and  mischievous 
mon,  meets  with  the  approval  of  this  House,  and  de 
serves  the  cordial  support  of  all  loyal  citizens  of  the 
United  States.' 

"  For  introducing  this  resolution,  the  House  voted 
to  censure  Mr.  Chanler,  as  having  attempted  a  gross 
insult  to  the  House. 


OP   THE   NATIONAL    CAPITAL.  143 

"Before  the  vote  was  taken,  Mr.  Chanler  said:  xlf 
by  my  defiance  I  could  drive  your  party  from  this  hal] 
I  would  do  so ;  if  by  my  vote  I  could  crush  you,  I 
would  do  so,  and  put  the  whole  party,  with  your  leader, 
the  gentleman  from  Pennsylvania  (Mr.  Stevens),  into 
that  political  hell  surrounded  by  bayonets,  referred  to 
by  him  in  his  argument  on  Thursday  last.'  *  *  * 

"In  February,  1866,  Mr.  Rousseau,  in  the  course  of 
a  speech  on  the  Freedmen's  Bureau  Bill,  made  the  re 
mark,  '  If  you  intend  to  arrest  white  people  on  the  ex- 
parte  statement  of  negroes,  and  hold  them  to  suit  your 
convenience  for  trial,  and  fine  and  imprison  them,  then 
I  say  that  I  oppose  you ;  and  if  you  should  so  arrest 
and  punish  me,  I  would  kill  you  when  you  set  me  at 
liberty.' 

"  To  this  Mr.  Grinnell,  of  Iowa,  replied  :  *  I  care  not 
whether  the  gentleman  was  four  years  in  the  war  on 
the  Union  side  or  four  years  on  the  other  side,  but  I 
say  that  he  degraded  his  State  and  uttered  a  sentiment 
I  thought  unworthy  of  a  Union  officer  when  he  said 
that  he  would  do  such  an  act  on  the  complaint  of  a 
negro  against  him.' 

"  To  this  Mr.  Rousseau,  on  the  following  day,  re 
plied  :  'I  pronounce  the  assertion  that  I  have  degraded 
my  State  and  uttered  a  sentiment  unworthy  of  an 
American  officer,  to  be  false,  a  vile  slander,  and  unwor 
thy  to  be  uttered  by  any  gentleman  upon  this  floor.7 

"  Some  months  after  this,  Mr.  Rousseau,  in  a  public 
speech  delivered  in  New  York  City,  denounced  Mr. 
Griunell  as  a  *  pitiable  politician '  from  Iowa.  In  a 
speech  made  in  the  House  on  the  llth  of  June,  Mr. 


144  THE    SIGHTS    AND    SECRETS 

Rousseau  said  of  Mr.  Grinnell :  '  I  do  not  suppose  that 
any  member  of  this  House  believed  a  word  he  said. 
When  a  member  can  so  far  depart  from  what  every 
body  believes  he  ought  to  know  and  does  know  is  the 
truth,  it  is  a  degradation,  not  to  his  State,  but  to  him 
self.' 

"  '  When  any  man,'  replied  Mr.  Grinnell,  1 1  care 
not  whether  he  stands  six  feet  high,  whether  he  wears 
buff,  and  carries  the  air  of  a  certain  bird  that  has  a 
more  than  usual  extremity  of  tail,  wanting  in  the  other 
extremity — says  that  he  would  not  believe  what  I  ut 
ter,  I  will  say  that  I  was  never  born  to  stand  under  an 
imputation  of  that  sort. 

"  '  The  gentleman  begins  courting  sympathy  by 
sustaining  the  President  of  the  United  States,  prepara 
tory  to  his  assault  upon  me.  Now,  sir,  if  he  is  a  de 
fender  of  the  President  of  the  United  States,  all  I 
have  to  say  is,  God  save  the  President  from  such  an 
incoherent,  brainless  defender,  equal  in  valor  in  civil 
and  in  military  life.  His  military  record — who  has 
read  it  ?  In  what  volume  of  history  is  it  found  ? ' 

"Mr.  Rousseau  determined  to  resent  the  insult  which 
he  conceived  to  be  offered  him  in  this  speech  by  in 
flicting  a  bodily  chastisement  upon  Mr.  Grinnell.  On 
the  morning  of  June  14th,  Mr.  Rousseau  informed  a 
military  friend  of  his  purpose  of  flogging  Mr.  Grin- 
ne.ll.  The  person  so  informed  procured  a  pistol  and 
waited  in  the  Capitol  until  the  close  of  the  day's  ses 
sion,  in  order  to  be  present  at  the  flogging  and  see  '  fair 
play.'  Two  other  friends  of  Mr.  Rousseau,  also  armed 
with  pistols,  happened  to  be  present  when  the  scene 


OF   THE   NATIONAL    CAPITAL.  145 

transpired.  "While  Mr.  Grinnell  was  passing  from  the 
House  through  the  east  portico  of  the  Capitol,  he  was 
met  by  Mr.  Rousseau,  who,  in  an  excited  manne^,  said  . 
*  I  have  waited  four  days  for  an  apology,  for  words 
spoken  here  upon  this  floor.' 

"  '  What  of  that  ? '  asked  Mr.  Grinnell. 

"  '  I  will  teach  you  what  of  that,'  said  Mr.  Rousseau, 
who  then  proceeded  to  strike  Mr.  Grinnell  about  the 
head  and  shoulders  with  a  rattan,  stopping  occasionally 
to  lecture  him,  and  saying,  l  Now,  }ou  d — d  puppy  and 
poltroon,  look  at  yourself.' 

"After  receiving  half  a  dozen  Mows,  Mr.  Grinnell 
exclaimed,  :I  don't  want  to  hurt  you/  * 

"'I  don't  expect  you  to  hurt  me,  you  d — d  scoun 
drel,'  said  Mr.  Rousseau,  'but  you  tried  to  injure  me 
upon  the  floor  of  the  House.  And  now  look  at  your 
self ;  whipped  here  ;  whipped  like  a  dog  ;  disgraced  and 
degraded  !  Where  are  your  one  hundred  and  twenty- 
seven  thousand  constituents  now  ? ' 

"  A  Committee  was  appointed  to  investigate  this 
disgraceful  affair.  In  just  one  month  after  the  trans 
action,  a  report  was  presented,  signed  by  Messrs. 
Spaulding,  Banks,  and  Thayer,  stating  the  facts  in  the 
case,  and  recommending  the  expulsion  of  Mr.  Rousseau. 
They  also  presented  a  resolution  to  express  disapprov 
al  of  the  reflections  made  by  Mr.  Grinnell  upon  the 
character  of  Mr.  Rousseau.  The  'views  of  the  minori 
ty  '  were  also  presented  by  Messrs.  Raymond  and 
Hogan.  They  recommended  that  the  punishment  of 

*  The  reader  -will  not  fail  to  be  impressed   with  the  exceedingly 
amiable  inanuer  in  which  Mr.  Grinnel)  received  hia  castigation, — Author, 
10 


146  THE    SIGHTS    AND    SECRETS 

Mr.  Rousseau  should  be  a  public  reprimand  by  the 
Speaker.  After  a  protracted  discussion,  the  House 
came  to  a  final  decision.  The  motion  to  expel,  requir 
ing  two-thirds,  failed  by  a  few  votes — the  motion  by 
which  the  Speaker  was  directed  to  publicly  reprimand 
Mr.  Rousseau  was  carried  by  a  vote  of  89  to  30.  There 
were  not  enough  in  favor  of  the  motion  to  disapprove 
of  Mr.  Grinnell's  remarks,  to  call  the  ayes  and  noes. 
Mr.  Rousseau  endeavored  to  evade  the  execution 
of  the  sentence  by  sending  his  resignation  to  the  Gov 
ernor  of  Kentucky.  The  House  declared  that  a  Mem 
ber  could  not  dissolve  his  connection  with  the  body 
under  such  circumstances,  without  its  consent.  On  the 
21st  of  July,  the  execution  of  the  order  of  the  House 
having  been  demanded,  Mr.  Rousseau  appeared  at  the 
bar,  when  the  Speaker  said,  '  General  Rousseau,  the 
House  of  Representatives  have  declared  you  guilty  of 
a  violation  of  its  rights  and  privileges  in  a  premedita 
ted  personal  assault  upon  a  member  for  words  spoken 
in  debate.  This  condemnation  they  have  placed  on  their 
journal,  and  have  ordered  that  you  shall  be  publicly 
reprimanded  by  the  Speaker  at  the  bar  of  the  House. 
No  wo i-d s  of  mine  can  add  to  the  force  of  this  order, 
in  obedience  to  which  I  now  pronounce  upon  you  its 
reprimand.' " 

PARTY    DISCIPLIN~E 

is  very  strict  in  Congress.  Each  party  has  an  acknowl 
edged  leader,  who  directs  its  movements,  and  is  most 
prominent  in  attacking  or  resisting  the  other  party. 
Thaddeus  Stevens  was  the  leader  of  the  Republican 


OP  THE   NATIONAL    CAPITAL.  147 

party  for  some  years  before  his  death,  and  any  one 
who  has  ever  seen  the  manner  in  which  the  grim  old 
man  conducted  the  affairs  of  his  party,  will  bear  out 
the  assertion  that  he  was  a  very  tyrant.  He  could  not 
bear  the  term  "  conservative  Republican,"  and  his  se 
verest  denunciations  were  reserved  for  that  wing  of  his 
party.  In  times  of  emergency  he  would  call  on  every 
Republican  in  the  House  to  sustain  the  party  measures, 
and  boldly  defy  any  conservative  to  oppose  them  on 
pain  of  being  "  read  out"  of  the  Republican  organiza 
tion.  At  such  times  his  manner  would  be  expressive 
of  the  bitterest  sarcasm,  and  his  voice,  cold  and  tren 
chant  as  steel,  would  strike  terror  to  the  hearts  of  his 
weaker  followers.  They  had  no  choice  but  to  obey 
him,  as  they  knew  he  did  not  threaten  in  vain.  Dur 
ing  the  impeachment  proceedings  he  literally  drove  his 
party  forward,  and  terrified  the  conservative  members 
into  the  support  of  measures  to  which  they  were  utterly 
opposed.  He  has  left  a  void  behind  him,  and  his  fol 
lowers  are  casting  about  to-day  for  some  one  to  fill  his 
place.  A  recent  Washington  letter,  says: 

"There  is  a  contest  in  progress  between  Messrs. 
Schenck  and  Washburne  as  to  which  of  those  two 
gentlemen  shall  have  the  leadership  of  the  party  in 
the  House.  It  has  always  heretofore  been  the  under 
standing  and  custom  of  that  body  that  the  Chairman 
of  the  Committee  on  Ways  and  Means  should,  by  vir 
tue  of  that  position,  be  the  recognized  leader  of  hia 
party  in  Congress.  But  when,  on  account  of  the  un 
certainties  and  disabilities  of  ill-health,  old  age,  and 


148  THE    SIGHTS    AND    SECRETS 

Other  circumstances,  which  rendered  the  duties  devol 
ving  upon  the  head  of  the  Committee  on  Ways  and 
Means  too  heavy  and  full  of  responsibility  to  be  trust- 
ed  to  the  late  Tbaddeus  Stevens,  it  was  thought  advis 
able  to  make  a  division  of  the  Committee,  as  it  origi 
nally  stood,  and  out  of  it  take  the  Committees  on  Ap 
propriations  and  Banks  and  Banking,  to  the  former  of 
which  Mr.  Stevens  was  designated  as  chairman,  while 
Mr.  Schenck  was  appointed  as  chairman  of  the  original 
committee,  then,  as  an  act  of  courtesy  simply  to  the 
Pennsylvania  veteran,  he  was  still  allowed  to  retain 
the  leadership  of  the  House  until  his  death. 

"Now,  since  that  event,  the  privilege  would  fall 
back,  according  to  the  old  and  established  order,  to 
Mr.  Schenck;  but  Mr.  Washburne,  who  has  preceded 
Mr.  Stevens  as  Chairman  of  the  Committee  on  Appro 
priations,  assumes  to  have  become  successor  to  the 
party  leadership  likewise,  which  was  only  continued  to 
Mr.  Stevens  as  a  matter  of  general  friendly  considera 
tion  and  respect.  In  consequence  there  is  quite  a  con 
test  between  Schenck,  to  whom  the  privilege  should 
lapse,  according  to  custom,  and  Washburne,  who  is  not 
content  to  walk  in  the  dead  man's  shoes,  but  wants  to 
have  on  his  overshoes  (which  he  thinks  fit  him)  also. 
As  the  presumed  mouthpiece  of  the  incoming  Presi 
dent  he  has  a  certain  weight  of  authority  on  his  side, 
but  the  quiet  caution,  firmness  and  business  tact, 
shrewdness  and  vigor  of  General  Schenck  give  him 
such  advantages  that,  so  far,  it  is  a  neck-and-neck  run, 
with  vibrations  on  either  side,  and  the  chances,  I  am 
told,  in  favor  of  Schenck?" 


OF   THE    NATIONAL    CAPITAL.  149 

The  leader  of  the  Democratic  party  in  the  House 
is  Mr.  James  Brooks,  of  New  York,  one  of  the  proprie 
tor  and  editors  of  The  Evening  Express,  of  that  city 
He  is  a  tall,  fine-looking  man,  and  one  of  the  ablest 
and  most  accomplished  parliamentarians  in  the  House. 

The  men  acting  as  leaders  of  their  respective  par 
ties,  are  always  on  the  alert.  It  is  their  business  to 
prevent  strife  amongst  their  followers.  For  the  sake 
of  success,  they  exert  themselves  to  heal  these  breaches 
when  made,  and  are  usually  successful  in  preserving  at 
least  an  outward  appearance  of  harmony.  The  reader 
will  remember  the  fierce  quarrel  between  Messrs  But 
ler  and  Bingham,  which  was  smoothed  over  for  the 
sake  of  success  in  the  impeachment  trial. 

Party  is  supreme  in  both  Houses  of  Congress,  and 
legislation  is  shaped  entirely  with  a  view  to  perpetuate 
that  supremacy.  Congressmen  support  men  and  meas 
ures  they  dare  not  defend  to  their  constituents,  because 
they  think  such  measures  will  benefit  the  party.  No 
matter  how  injurious  to  the  country  at  large  a  measure 
may  be,  If  the  party  in  power  needs  it,  it  is  passed. 
Democrats  and  Republicans  are  alike  guilty  of  such 
conduct.  Members  elect,  fairly  chosen  by  their  con 
stituents,  not  unfrequently  find  their  seats  contested  by 
the  beaten  candidate,  who  is  in  sympathy  with  the 
party  in  power.  Feeling  sure  that  the  lawfully  ex 
pressed  wishes  of  the  district  they  represent  will  not 
be  disregarded,  they  do  not  concern  themselves  about 
the  effort  to  turn  them  out,  and  are  startled  by  a  re 
port  from  the  Committee  on  Elections  that  they  are 
not  entitled  to  their  seats.  The  result  is  that  they  are 


150  THE    SIGHTS    AND    SECRETS 

unseated,  and  the  contesting  members,  fairly  beaten  at 
the  polls,  put  iu  their  places,  not  because  Congress 
wishes  to  enforce  the  will  of  the  people  sending  Repre 
sentatives  to  Washington,  but  because  it  wishes  to  se 
cure  one  more  vote  for  the  party  in  power. 

THE   FRANKING   SWINDLE. 

One  of  the  privileges  accorded  by  law  to  the  Mem 
bers  of  Congress,  is  the  right  to  send  through  the 
mails  his  correspondence,  and  other  legitimate  mail- 
matter,  free  of  charge.  In  order  to  secure  this  free 
transportation,  he  must  endorse  his  name  and  rank  on 
the  cover  of  the  package.  This,  privilege  was  origin 
ally  designed  to  cover  the  official  correspondence  of 
Congressmen  with  officials  of  the  Government,  and 
with  their  constituents,  but,  of  late  years,  it  has  been 
so  much  abused  that  it  has  been  put  to  uses  never 
dreamed  of  before.  Packages  occupying  an  entire 
mail-bag  have  been  sent  by  Congressmen  with  tough 
consciences,  as  franked  matter.  It  is  said  that  sewing 
machines  have  been  sent  home  to  their  wives  by  mem 
bers  in  this  way,  during  the  existence  of  the  privilege; 
and  that  certain  members  have  sent  their  dirty  linen 
home  to  be  washed,  under  the  cover  of  their  franks,  in 
order  to  save  expense.  Says  the  New  York  Tribune, 
of  a  recent  date : 

"We  know  that  Mr.  Brooks  disseminates  circulars 
advertising  the  New  York  Express,  by  means  of  his 
printed  frank ;  and  Mr.  Demas  Barnes  sends  out  price- 
lists  of  his  "Mustang  Liniments"  and  "Soothing 
Syrups."  Congressman  O'Neill,  of  Pennsylvania,  has 


OP   THE   NATIONAL    CAPITAL.  151 

recently  been  found  franking  all  over  the  country  a 
good  thick  pamphlet  published  by  the  Union  League 
of  Philadelphia,  and  labelling  it,  by  a  pleasing  freedom 
of  language,  a  "  Pnb.  Doc."  We  dare  say,  the  book 
contained  a  great  deal  more  useful  information  than 
nine  out  of  ten  documents  issued  from  the  Government 
Printing  Office  ;  but  it  was  not  a  public  document,  for 
all  that,  and  if  Mr.  O'Neill  wanted  to  send  copies  of  it 
through  the  mail,  he  ought  to  have  paid  the  postage, 
as  any  private  gentleman  would.  During  the  last 
election  canvass,  it  was  common  for  Congressmen  who 
were  candidates  for  reelection  to  frank  ballots  and 
addresses  all  through  their  districts;  and  we  know  of 
at  least  one  case  in  which,  by  some  process  of  legerde 
main  which  we  do  not  profess  to  understand,  the 
printed  frank  of  a  candidate  was  used  to  cover  the 
ballots  of  his  opponent." 

Whole  tons  of  matter  are  sent  through  the  mails 
in  this  way,  every  day,  the  cost  of  transporting  which 
the  people  have  to  pay.  No  Congressman  can  spare 
the  time  to  write  his  frank  on  all  the  documents  and 
parcels  he  sends  off,  and  the  practice  has  become  com 
mon  of  having  a  stamp  of  his  frank  made.  This  is 
easily  managed,  and  is  often  loaned  out  to  political 
organizations  and  to  friends ;  and  whole  tons  of  matter 
which  the  law  never  designed  to  make  free,  are  thua 
thrown  into  the  mails  at  the  public  expense. 

The  following  correspondence,  which  recently  ap 
peared  in  the  New  York  T/ilune,  will  explain  one  of 
the  abuses  of  this  system : 


152  THB   SIGHTS    AND    SECRETS 

*  To  the  Editor  of  the  Tribune. 

"SiB:  An  article  in  your  paper  of  the  29th,  from 
the  Hon.  W.  S.  Lincoln,  demands  a  reply  on  our  part, 
having  teen  singled  out  as  parties  who  have  abused 
the  franking  privilege,  or  rather  used  it  without  per 
mission.  The  charge  is  too  sweeping,  and  would 
naturally  lead  the  reader  to  suppose  an  intentional 
wrong  by  us.  Let  us  present  the  facts.  Being  con 
nected  with  a  political  organization  where  the  fac 
simile  frank  of  Mr.  Lincoln  was  in  constant  use,  and  not 
entertaining  a  doubt  but  with  his  consent,  as  similar 
franks  were  used  by  nearly  all  the  different  political 
organizations,  furnished  with  the  consent  of  different 
members  of  both  parties,  in  order  to  transmit  docu 
ments,  we  simply  did  as  many  others,  with  this  differ 
ence,  that  ours  was  a  business  that  increased  rather 
than  diminished  the  postal  revenue,  our  publications 
being  sent,  in  a  large  degree,  through  the  mails,  and 
every  circular  sent  tending  to  increase  the  demand 
and  benefit  the  Department.  A  large  number  of  the 
franked  envelopes  were  left  in  our  hands  just  before 
the  close  of  the  campaign,  and  in  these  our  circulars 
were  placed,  and  transmitted  to  different  parties.  As 
the  use  cf  the  stamp  referred  to  was  authorized  by  the 
Hon.  M.  C.  for  the  benefit  of  the  committee,  we  cer 
tainly  must  claim  exemption  from  the  serious  charges 
made  by  him.  The  general  use  of  stamps  of  this  char 
acter,  authoiized  by  so  many  different  parties,  of  both 
political  organizations,  certainly  is  detrimental  to  the 
public  service,  but  we  are  prepared  to  show  that  in 


Of  THE  NATIONAL  CAPITAL.          153 

this  instance  at  least  it  has  been  beneficial,  and  there 
fore  repel  the  charge  made  against  us. 

"  DiMMICK   &  CO. 
"Naw  YORK,  December  30, 1868." 


"  To  ike  Editor  of  the  Tribune. 

"Sin:  In  answer  to  the  card  of  Messrs.  Dimmick 
&  Co.,  and  your  notice  of  the  same,  allow  me  to  say, 
that,  in  accordance  with  a  custom  long  since  estab 
lished  by  Senators  and  Representatives,  I  franked 
envelopes  for  the  organization  known  as  the  "  Grant 
and  Colfax  Boys  in  Blue,"  during  the  last  campaign, 
with  the  express  understanding  that  they  should  be 
used  only  for  political  purposes.  I  knew  the  oflicera 
of  this  organization  to  be  gentlemen  of  honor,  and  did 
not  for  a  moment  suppose  any  person  connected  .with 
the  same  would  violate  this  agreement.  "When,  in 
November,  I  found  that  Messrs.  Dimmick  &  Co.  were 
"flooding  the  mails11  with  circulars  under  my  frank,  I 
had  not  even  a  suspicion  that  any  member  of  that  firm 
had  ever  had  any  connection  with  the  "  Boys  in  Blue." 
I  received  largp  numbers  of  these  circulars  through  the 
Dead  Letter  Office,  and  reported  them  to  the  Post 
master-General,  and  to  the  Postmaster  at  New  York, 
and  certainly  had  no  right  to  suppose  this  firm  (which 
I  had  never  heard  of)  was  in  any  way  connected  with 
the  organization  alluded  to.  The  fac-sirnile  of  members 
of  Congress  has  been  used  all  over  the  country  for 
general  political  purposes,  and  certain  parties  have 
Bought  to  take  advantage  of  this  to  subserve  their  own 


154  THE    SIGHTS    AND    SECRETS 

interests,  which  proves  the  privilege  to  be  liable  to 
great  abuse  ;  therefore,  let  us  abolish  it. 

"  Very  respectfully  yours, 

"  W.  S.  LINCOLN. 

•*  TTASHiNGToif,  D.  0.,  January  2, 1869." 

The  mails  are  at  present  flooded  to  such  an  enor 
mous  extent,  with  letters  and  document1*  stamped  with 
the  franks  of  Congressmen,  that  many  disreputable 
persons  have  had  forged  stamps  made,  and  use  them 
constantly,  for  the  purpose  of  circulating  their  own 
advertisements  and  circulars,  as  they  well  know  that 
it  will  be,  in  nine  cases  out  of  ten,  impossible  for  any 
post-office  official  to  detect  the  forgery.  Of  course, 
Congressmen  are  not  responsible  for  such  acts  as  these, 
except  so  far  as  their  own  abuses  of  the  franking  privi 
lege  have  opened  the  way  for  them. 

CONGRESSIONAL  BUNCOMBE. 

Speech -making  is  a  weakness  of  Congressmen. 
Every  Senator  or  Member  must  make  one  speech 
during  the  session,  if  no  more,  in  order  that  he  may 
have  it  printed  and  sent  home  to  his  constituents ;  and 
every  possible  occasion  is  seized  upon  with  avidity. 
For  the  honor  of  the  country,  nine  out  of  ten  of  these 
speeches  had  better  be  unspoken.  They  are  so  many 
empty  words ;  for  the  Congress  of  the  United  States, 
though  it  has  many  able  men,  does  not,  as  a  wholo, 
represent  the  intelligence  or  the  eloquence  of  the 
nation.  There  are  few  really  good  speakers  in  eithej 
body 


CONGRESSIONAL    "  BUNCOMBE." 


OF   THE   NATIONAL   CAPITAL.  155 

Perhaps  the  very  best  speeches  that  have  boen 
delivered  in  the  House,  for  many  months,  were  com 
prised  in  the  bitter  passage  between  Messrs.  Donnelly 
and  Washburne,  last  summer.  The  affair  was  outrage, 
ous,  indecent;  but  there  was  genuine  wit,  fire,  and 
eloquence  on  both  sides. 

The  occasion  of  the  death  of  a  member  of  either 
House  is  seized  upon  for  a  display  of  words.  This  was 
forcibly  demonstrated  in  the  eulogies  upon  the  late 
Thaddeus  Stevens.  The  speeches,  with  one  or  two 
exceptions,  would  not  have  done  honor  to  a  village 
debating  society ;  and  even  the  best  of  them  failed  to 
paint  the  old  man  in  his  true  character.  All  was  ful 
some  flattery,  from  which  he  would  have  shrunk  in 
disgust.  He  was  no  coward,  either  morally  or  physi 
cally,  whatever  his  other  shortcomings  were,  and  he 
never  tried  to  hide  or  gloss  over  his  faults.  Says  a 
letter  written  from  Washington,  the  day  the  eulogies 
were  delivered : 

"  The  Cave  of  the  Winds  has  for  hours  been  blow 
ing  a  solemn  dirge  over  the  demise  of  Old  Sarcastic, 
commonly  called  the  Old  Man  Eloquent,  or  the  Great 
Commoner.  I  suppose  my  friend  Mungen  might  be 
styled  the  great  uncommoner.  What  the  old  scratch 
makes  people  indulge  in  this  sort  of  stuff  bothers  me. 
The  old  man  eloquent  is  a  quotation  from  Milton,  and 
when  first  applied  to  John  Quincy  Adams  was  well 
enough,  but  it  is  not  applicable  to  the  late  Thaddeus. 
He  was  seldom,  if  ever,  eloquent.  He  was  sarcastic 
and  bitter,  and  could  make  the  fur  fly  when  so  dis 
posed ;  but  to  please,  penetrate,  and  persuade,  that 
was  not  his  forte. 


156  THE   SIGHTS    AND    SECRETS 

"He  was  a  grand  old  man,  in. his  way,  but  one 
would  never  find  it  out  from  the  flood  of  sickening 
eulogy  that  rolled  out  to-day.  Good  Lord  !  when  will 
we  have  done  with  these  windy  platitudes  ?  How 
old  Thad.  would  have  grinned,  had  he  been  present, 
and  how  he  would  have  collapsed  the  pots  of  honey 
with  a  few  words  of  sarcasm  edging  the  lump  of  truth ! 
How  a  little  truth  about  the  old  man  would  have 
startled  the  House  !  Had  his  daily  and  nightly  life 
been  photographed  for  a  moment,  how  each  member 
would  have  started,  as  if  a  slander  was  being  newly 
promulgated !  And  yet,  each  mother's  son  of  them 
all  knew  the  story  of  his  life.  And  so  we  make  his 
tory.  And  in  such  history  we  Jose  the  lesson  and  be 
little  the  actor.  Take  these  eulogies,  and  make  up 
from  them,  if  you  can,  the  real  life  of  Thad.  Stevens, 
as  he  hobbled  into  the  House  from  a  night  of  cards, 
and  hour  after  hour  frightened  and  coaxed,  and  bul 
lied  and  controlled  the  members,  and  controlled  them 
along  the  path  of  humanity.  His  acts  were  grand, 
but  his  ordinary  life  was  not  grand,  nor  even  good. 
And  yet,  taking  it  all  in  all,  it  was  human,  and  when 
we  see  what  he  did,  it  is  well  to  know,  for  his  credit, 
that,  to  accomplish  the  good,  he  had  to  swing  out  from 
much  that  was  bad  in  his  own  nature.  When  will 
these  people  learn,  that  while  we  sympathize  with,  and 
even  love  defective  humanity,  we  cannot  comprehend, 
nor  admire,  and  far  less  love  the  gods  of  their  poor 
creation. 

"  Poor  old  Thad. — lie  left  a  vacancy  in  the  House 
of  Representatives  that  cannot  well  be  filled. 


OF   THE   NATIONAL    CAPITAL.  157 

"  'Who  will  carry  me,  boys,'  he  said,  with  his  grim 
smiles,  to  the  men  who  brought  him  to  the  Capitol  foi 
the  last  time  on  their  shoulders,  '  who  will  carry  me 
when  you  are  dead  ? ' 

"  The  grass  is  not  yet  green  above  his  grave,  and 
we  are  forgetting  him  in  these  high-wrought  eulogies." 

PEESONAL   SKETCHES. 

It  seems  strange,  but  it  is  a  fact  that  there  are  pro 
portionately  more  able  men  in  the  House  than  in  the 
Senate.  In  referring  to  them  it  will  be  impossible  to 
point  them  out  by  their  seats,  as  it  is  very  rare  that 
they  are  seen  in  their  proper  places.  They  are  scat 
tered  about  the  hall  in  such  utter  confusion  that  it  is 
almost  impossible  to  make  use  of  any  diagram. 

SPEAKER    COLFAX. 

The  Speaker,  except  when  the  House  is  in  Commit 
tee  of  the  Whole,  is  usually  to  be  found  in  the  Chair, 
though  he  too  takes  flight  from  his  lofty  perch  occa 
sionally.  He  generally  dresses  in  black  broadcloth,  a 
style  much  affected  by  both  Houses  of  Congress,  and 
which  gives  to  them  a  decidedly  funereal  appearance. 
None  of  Mr.  Colfax's  portraits  do  him  justice.  They 
make  him  too  dark,  for  the  sunny,  genial  expression 
of  his  face,  which  is  enhanced  by  the  light  color  of  his 
hair  and  beard,  is  his  greatest  outward  attraction. 
He  has  a  bright  and  winning  air,  which  makes  you 
think  him  a  happy  man,  as  he  no  doubt  is,  having  but 
recently  won  the  Vice-Presidency  and  an  accomplished 
wife,  His  personal  dignity  is  very  great,  but  has  no 


158  THE   SIGHTS    AND    SECRETS 

haughtiness  about  it.  His  pleasant,  cheerful  expres 
sion  won  him  during  the  recent  campaign  the  nick 
name  of  "  Smiler."  He  is  nearly  forty-six  years  old. 
He  is  a  native  of  the  city  of  New  York,  and  was  born 
a  poor  boy.  He  has  reached  his  present  position  by 
his  own  unaided  efforts,  and  next  March  will  enter  upon 
the  duties  of  the  second  office  in  the  gift  of  the  people. 
He  makes  an  excellent  Speaker,  and  is  very  popular 
with  both  parties  in  the  House.  It  is  no  slight  task  to 
preside  over  the  deliberations  of  so  unruly  a  body  as 
the  House  of  Representatives,  but  Mr.  Colfax  has  for 
nearly  six  years  discharged  his  duties  with  perfect  suc 
cess. 

As  a  general  rule,  he  follows  the  example  of  the 
Members  of  the  House,  and  engages  in  conversation 
with  some  ono.  His  inattention  is  only  seeming,  how 
ever,  for  he  is  closely  watching  the  House  all  the  while. 
A  member  no  sooner  rises  than  the  Speaker's  quick 
eye  discovers  him  and  announces  his  name.  Let  a 
dozen  rise  together,  and  the  Speaker,  although  appar. 
ently  engrossed  in  his  conversation,  will  in  nine  cases 
out  of  ten  single  out  the  right  man  and  assign  the  floor 
to  him.  Members  rarely  quarrel  with  his  decisions, 
as  they  know  them  to  be  just.  Long  experience  has 
taught  the  Speaker  patience,  in  dealing  with  the  humors 
of  the  House.  A  moderate  amount  of  disorder  and 
confusion  will  draw  from  him  only  a  slight  rebuke,  but 
frequently  the  noise  increases  to  such  a  degree  that  the 
voice  of  the  member  on  the  floor  is  almost  drowned. 
Again,  the  Members  crowd  the  aisles  to  such  an  extent 
that  the  Chair  cannot  distinguish  gentlemen  rising  to 


OP   THE   NATIONAL    CAPITAL.  150 

claim  the  floor  from  those  who  have  no  desire  to  speak. 
Then  the  Speaker  becomes  emphatic.  Rap,  rap,  rap, 
goes  the  gavel  on  the  marble  block,  but  the  sound  is 
unheeded  by  the  delinquents.  "  Gentlemen,"  exclaims 
Mr.  Colfax,  in  persuasive  tones,  "  must  take  their  seats 
and  cease  their  conversation  in  the  hall."  No  attention 
is  paid  to  the  warning,  and  the  gavel  comes  down  again, 
louder  than  ever,  Rap  !  Rap  !  Rap !  "  Gentlemen  must 
take  their  seats,  and  cease  their  conversation  in  the 
aisles,"  the  Speaker  growing  more  excited.  Still  the 
noise  and  confusion  go  on,  and  the  orator  on  the  floor, 
used  to  such  scenes,  sits  with  exemplary  patience  on  the 
corner  of  his  desk  to  await  the  result.  The  Speaker 
rises  to  his  feet  sharply,  and  grasping  his  gavel  firmly, 
strikes  his  block  with  all  his  force.  Rap!  Rap!  Rap! 
how  the  sounds  ring  through  the  hall.  Rap !  Rap ! 
Rap !  "  Gentlemen  MUST  take  their  seats,  and  CEASE 
talking."  There's  a  ring  of  determination  in  the  Speak 
er's  voice  now,  but  it  accomplishes  nothing,  for  the 
noise  and  confusion  are  worse  than  before.  u  If  gen 
tlemen  do  not  act  as  requested,  the  Chair  will  be  com 
pelled  to  address  each  one  personally."  The  threat  is 
unheeded,  and  after  a  brief  pause,  Mr.  Colfax  spe.iks 
rapidly  and  distinctly,  pointing  to  the  offending  M.C.'s 
with  his  gavel.  "  Will  the  gentleman  from  New  York 
take  his  seat  and  stop  talking  ?  Will  the  gentleman 
from  Massachusetts  take  his  seat  ?  Will  the  gentleman 
from  Minnesota  cease  his  conversation  and  return  to 
his  seat  ?  Will  the  gentleman  from  Ohio  sit  down 
and  stop  talking  ?  "  &c.,  &c.  These  sharp,  pointed  re 
bukes  fasten  the  attention  of  the  House  and  galleries 


160  THE    SIGHTS    AND    SECRETS 

upon  the  offenders,  and  accomplish  the  desired  result 
Order  is  restored,  and  for  a  little  while  the  Speaker  is 
at  peace. 

THE   BOY-SPEAKEB. 

A  tall,  sparely-made  young  man,  with  a  ruddy  face, 
a  full  beard  under  the  chin,  with  hair  immaculately 
brushed,  and  an  abundance  of  linen  showing  in  con 
trast  to  his  Congressional  black  broadcloth,  may  be 
seen  standing  or  sitting  at  the  speaker's  right  hand. 
Though  not  handsome,  he  has  a  striking,  manly  face, 
very  grave  and  thoughtful  for  one  so  young.  He  is 
William  Todd,  the  Speaker's  page,  or,  as  he  is  fre 
quently  called,  "The  Boy -Speaker."  He  is  always  on 
duty  by  Mr.  Colfax,  and  is  of  the  greatest  assistance  to 
him.  He  is  a  thorough  parliamentarian,  and  has  all 
the  rules  and  customs  of  the  House  at  his  fingers'  ends. 
He  really  does  a  good  deal  of  the  speaker's  work  for 
him.  He  arranges  his  business  for  him  in  the  morning, 
so  that  every  thing  may  pass  off  smoothly,  and  is  at  his 
side  to  prompt  him  when  a  vexed  question  arises  and 
demands  the  ruling  of  the  chair.  Mr.  Colfax  is  prompt 
to  acknowledge  the  aid  rendered  him  by  his  young 
Mentor,  and  a  warm  friendship  exists  between  the  two. 

Willie  Todd's  predecessor  was  Thaddeus  Morris, 
who  was  Speaker  Pennington's  page  in  18(50,  and 
virtual  Speaker  of  the  House  of  Representatives.  u  Air. 
Pennington  was  a  delightful  old  gentleman,  ignorant 
of  parliamentary  practice,  and  he  was  elected  by  a 
compromise  between  the  adherents  of  Sherman  and 
Marshall,  of  Kentucky.  Placed  in  his  embarrassing 


OF   THE   NATIONAL   CAPITAL.  161 

chair,  "he  found  the  great  dog-pit  of  the  House  barking, 
like  Cerberus,  under  him,  and  he  took  every  ruling 
point  and  suggestion  from  Thaddeus  most  gracefully. 

"  Once,  it  is  related,  when  young  Morris  had  pre 
pared  every  thing  snugly  for  Pennington,  outlined  the 
order  of  business,  prompted  him  completely,  and  left 
the  course  'straight  as  the  crow  flies,'  so  that  a  way 
faring  man,  though  a  fool,  need  not  go  astray,  he  said 
to  the  Speaker,  *  Now,  go  on.' 

u '  Now,  go  on,'  cried  Pennington,  promptly,  to  the 
House  ;  at  which  there  was  huge  laughter.1' 

The  leadership  of  the  House,  having  been  made 
vacant  by  the  death  of  Thaddeus  Stevens,  is  now  dis 
puted  by  Messrs.  Schenck  and  Washburne,  the  one  of 
Ohio,  the  other  of  Illinois. 

GENERAL    SCHENCK, 

is  a  short,  thick-set  man,  now  in  his  sixtieth  year.  He 
has  held  a  number  of  important  public  positions,  and 
is  regarded  as  one  of  the  profoundest  men  in  the  House. 
He  has  the  boldness  and  vigor  necessary  for  a  leader, 
and  adds  to  these  qualities  an  impetuous  enthusiasm 
which  rarely  fails  to  communicate  itself  to  his  hearers. 
He  served  with  credit  in  the  army  during  a  portion  of 
the  war,  and  was  especially  distinguished  during  the 
late  impeachment  proceedings  for  the  boldness  and 
vigor  of  his  attacks  upon  the  President.  He  is  not  a 
pleasant  adversary  in  debate,  for  he  deals  his  blows 
right  and  left  in  the  most  merciless  manner.  His 
earnest,  impassioned  manner  once  gave  rise  to  a  very 
amusing  story  at  his  expense,  which  is  tjms  related ; 
11 


162  THE    SIGHTS    AND    SECRETS 

"  Every  one  who  has  heard  the  Honorable  Robert 
0.  Schenck  speak  for  the  first  time,  in  a  case  where  his 
feelings  were  deeply  interested,  knows  what  a  vivid 
impression  his  withering  sarcasm  and  impassioned 
manner  are  calculated  to  produce  upon  persons  unac 
customed  to  listen  to  animated  debates. 

"  An  unsophisticated  Methodist  farmer,  who  lived 
in  a  distant  portion  of  the  country,  and  whose  avoca 
tion  seldom  called  him  'to  Court,'  accidentally  heard 
that  Mr.  Schenck  was  appointed  *  Minister  to  Brazil] 
a  country  in  South  America.  The  terms  'Minister7 
and  '  preacher  of  the  Gospel,'  were  inseparably  asso 
ciated  in  his  mind ;  and  he  took  it  for  granted  that 
Mr.  Schenck  had  turned  preacher,  and  had  been  sent 
off  on  a  professional  '  mission.' 

"  With  this  impression  he  went  home.  '  Wife,'  he 
said,  '  what  do  you  think  I  heard  at  Dayton  to-day  ? 
That  little  white-headed  lawyer  you  have  heard  me 
speak  of  so  often,  has  become  converted,  and  turned 
preacher  to  a  heathen  nation  way  down  in  South 
America !  If  the  Devil  ever  met  his  match,  I  guess 
he  has  got  him  now ;  for  if  grace  don't  change  him  too 
much,  he'll  srive  no  rest  to  the  reprobate  for  the  sole  of 
liis  foot  until  he  leaves  the  country.' " 

ELIHU  B.  WASHBURNE. 

Mr.  Washburne  is  a  Representative  from  Illinois 
but  is  a  native  of  Maine.  He  is  the  oldest  member  of 
the  House,  and  Is  often  called  "The  Father  of  the 
House,"  having  served  in  it  continuously  for  nearly  sev. 
enteen  years,  IJe  is  the  Chairman  of  the  Committee 


OP   THE    NATIONAL   CAPITAL.  163 

on  Commerce,  and  is  one  of  the  working  men  of  the 
House.  He  has  a  mania  for  economy,  and  steadily 
opposes  the  extravagant  appropriations  of  the  House. 
He  is  a  warm  friend  of  General  Grant,  and,  as  the 
General  himself  has  gratefully  remarked,  stood  by  him 
when  he  needed  friends  most.  It  is  not  likely  that  Mr. 
Washburne  will  retain  his  place  in  the  House  after 
next  spring,  as  he  will  doubtless  receive  some  prom 
inent  position  at  the  hands  of  his  friend  the  new  Presi 
dent.  He  is  very  popular  in  the  House,  and  his  rela 
tions  with  the  members  of  both  parties  are  generally 
of  A  pleasant  nature.  Last  year  he  had  a  sharp  tilt 
with  Mr.  Ignatius  Donnelly  of  Minnesota,  in  which  he 
met  his  match.  Disgraceful  as  the  affair  was,  it  had  its 
redeeming  features,  and  proved  beyond  all  question 
that  the  combatants  were  sharp  debaters.  Mr.  Wash 
burne  resides  at  Galena,  Illinois,  and  is  a  fine  specimen 
of  the  Western  statesman. 

That  burly,  heavy  man,  waddling  across  the  hall, 
with  his  hands  full  of  papers,  and  his  head  slightly 
bent  forward,  is 


BEN   BUTLER, 


of  Massachusetts,  the  best  abused,  best  hated,  man 
in  the_House.  He  is  a  man  of  unquestioned  abil 
ity,  and  would  be  a  leader  in  any  cause  to  which  he 
might  give  his  efforts.  As  a  commander  during  the 
late  war,  he  succeeded  in  the  administrative  duties  of 
his  position,  but  failed  signally  in  the  field.  He  con 
ducted  the  prosecution  of  the  President  during  the  irn. 
peachment  trial  with  a  vigor  and  ability,  and  a  spice  of 


164  THE    SIGHTS    AND    SECRETS 

personal  hostility,  which  won  him  much  praise  from 
the  friends  of  the  measure.  The  late  Count  Gurowski, 
in  his  diary  (for  January  28th,  1864)  thus  speaks  of 
him :  u  Ben  Butler  would  make  an  excellent  President- 
He  has  all  the  capacities  of  a  statesman.  Butler  can 
destroy  and  build  up,  organize  and  administer.  He  is 
bold,  with  keen  insight,  and  with  prompt,  unerring 
decision.  *  *  Butler's  capacities  as  a  civilian  are  supe 
rior,  are  all  that  are  wanted  to  save  the  cause.  If 
President,  Butler  would  easily  select  good  generals." 

The  Democratic  party  and  the  people  of  the  South 
hate  him  with  a  bitter  and  intense  hatred,  so  that,  tak 
ing  the  whole  country,  it  is  hard  to  say  which  are  the 
more  numerous,  his  friends  or  his  foes. 

That  fine-looking,  swarthy  man,  with  a  keen,  flash 
ing  eye  and  a  military  air,  who  looks  more  like  an 
Indian  than  an  American,  is 


JOHN  A.  LOGATT, 


of  Illinois.  Logan  is  of  Irish  parentage,  and  one  of 
the  most  brilliant  men  in  the  House.  He  served  in  the 
ar»iy  with  great  distinction  during  the  war,  and  rose  to 
the  rank  of  Major-General  of  Volunteers.  He  com 
manded  the  Fifteenth  Army  Corps  during  Sherman's 
grand  campaign,  and  was  regarded  by  that  soldier  as 
one  of  his  best  and  most  promising  lieutenants.  He 
was  an  old  Democrat,  and  Stephen  A.  Douglas'  right 
hand  man.  Some  of  his  enemies  have  asserted  that, 
at  the  beginning  of  the  rebellion,  he  offered  his 
services  to  Jefferson  Davis,  but  was  refused ;  but 
the  best  contradiction  of  these  reports  lies  in, 


OP   THE   NATIONAL    CAPITAL.  165 

fact  that  Logan  was  one  of  the  first  to  volunteer 
for  the  defence  of  the  Union  after  the  fall  of  Surater 
He  is  now  one  of  the  leaders  of  the  Republican  party 
and  acted  as  one  of  the  managers  of  the  late  impeach 
merit  proceedings.  He  is  extremely  bitter  in  his  pre 
judiees,  an  ardent  partisan,  and  an  eloquent  speaker 
He  is  considered  a  rising  man  in  his  State,  and  is  pos 
sessed  of  considerable  influence  in  the  House. 

That  sleek-looking  gentleman,  with  the  air  and  face 
of  a  Methodist  preacher,  is 

SIDNEY   CLABKE, 

of  Kansas,  a  native  of  Massachusetts,  and  an  editor  by 
profession.  He  is  thirty-seven  yeai-s  old,  but  looks 
younger.  Mr.  Clarke  served  during  the  war  as  Assis 
tant  Provost-Marshal  General  for  Kansas,  Nebraska, 
Colorado,  and  Dacotah,  a  section  of  the  country  in 
which  there  was  not  much  room  for  him  to  display  bis 
talents  as  a  soldier.  He  is  one  of  the  leading  Repub 
licans  in  the  House,  and  is  a  born  agitator.  He  emi 
grated  to  Kansas  in  1858,  and  settled  in  Lawrence, 
where  he  proved  one  of  the  most  earnest  and  energetic 
advocates  of  Republican  principles  in  the  new  State. 

Sitting  near  the  extreme  right-hand  side  of  the  hall, 
and  on  the  Speaker's  left,  is  a  tall,  handsome,  middle- 
aged  man,  whom  a  stranger  would  at  a  glance  single 
out  as  one  of  the  leaders  of  the  House.  He  is 

GENERAL    BANKS, 

of  Massachusetts.  Nathaniel  P.  Banks  is  now  fifty- 
three  years  old,  and  has  filled  many  positions  of  trust 


166  THE    SIGHTS    AND    SECRETS 

and  honor  in  his  eventful  career.  He  is  emphatically 
a  self-made  man,  as  he  was  the  son  of  parents  too  poor 
to  do  more  than  educate  him  at  the  free  schools.  From 
a  poor  apprentice  boy,  he  rose  to  be  the  editor  of  a 
newspaper,  published  first  in  Waltham,  and  then  in 
Lowell,  in  his  native  State.  His  next  step  was  into 
the  Legislature,  in  1848,  at  the  age  of  thirty-two.  He 
served  in  both  Houses,  and  was  chosen  Speaker  of  the 
Lower  House.  He  presided  over  the  Convention  of 
1853,  which  revised  the  Constitution  of  Massachusetts, 
and  for  the  next  four  years  represented  his  State  in 
Congress.  He  was  elected  Speaker  of  the  House  in 
1855,  and  presided  over  the  deliberations  of  that  body 
with  a  grace  and  dignity  which  have  never  been  sur 
passed.  In  1857  he  was  chosen  Governor  of  Massa 
chusetts,  and  was  re-elected  to  that  office  for  three 
successive  terms.  He  was  a  Major-General  of  Volun 
teers  during  the  Rebellion.  General  Banks  is  a  member 
of  the  important  Committee  on  Foreign  Affairs,  and  is 
possessed  of  great  influence  in  the  House.  He  is  very 
popular  with  both  parties,  and  socially,  is  one  of  the 
most  brilliant  ornaments  of  the  Capital. 

That  tall,  dark,  wild-looking  man,  who  sits  in  the 
front  row  of  desks,  almost  at  the  left  hand  of  the  offi 
cial  reporters,  is  the  Tennessee  loyalist, 

HORACE   MAY1STAED. 

He  is  nearly  fifty-five  years  old,  and  is  gaunt  and 
ungainly  in  appearance.  He  is  one  of  the  Southern 
Congressmen  who  stood  firmly  by  the  Government 
during  the  Rebellion,  and  suffered  great  losses  for  the 


O?   THE   NATIONAL    CAPITAL.  16? 

sake  of  his  loyalty.  He  had  considerable  difficulty  in 
procuring  the  readmission  of  his  State  into  the  Union 
after  the  war,  and  was  refused  his  seat  at  the  assem 
bling  of  the  Thirty-ninth  Congress.  He  is  a  native  ot 
Massachusetts,  and  went  to  Tennessee  about  1840,  aa 
Professor  of  Mathematics,  in  the  University  of  East 
Tennessee.  He  is  a  fierce  partisan,  and  is  a  man  of 
ability. 

Immediately  behind  him  sits 

CHESTER    D.  HUBBARD, 

of  West  Virginia.  Mr.  Hubbard  is  nearly  the  same  age 
as  Mr.  Maynard,  and  like  him  is  a  New  Englander,  being 
a  native  of  Connecticut.  He  removed  to  Wheeling, 
the  present  capital  of  his  State,  at  the  age  of  five  years, 
when  that  place  was  a  mere  village,  and  has  grown  up 
and  prospered  with  it.  He  served  several  terms  in  the 
Lower  House  of  the  Virginia  Legislature,  and  was  a 
member  of  the  Virginia  Convention  of  186JO.  He 
opposed  the  ordinance  of  secession  with  such  vigor  that 
he  was  expelled  from  that  body.  His  constituents  then 
sent  him  to  represent  them  in  the  Convention  which 
formed  the  State  of  West  Virginia,  and  in  1865  sent 
him  to  Congress.  He  is  one  of  the  working  men  of 
the  House.  He  represents  a  large  and  important  con 
stituency,  and  is  regarded  as  an  able  and  upright  man. 
The  next  man  back  of  Mr.  Hubbard,  is 

IGNATIUS    DOimSLLY, 

of  Minnesota,  a  native  of  Philadelphia.  He  went  to 
Minnesota  in  1857,  and  two  years  later  was  elected 


168  THE    SIGHTS    AND    SECRETS 

Lieutenant-Governor  of  the  State,  in  which  capacity  he 
served  two  terms.  He  was  elected  to  Congress  soon 
after,  and  has  been  returned  regularly  ever  since.  Mr. 
Donnelly  is  a  leading  member  of  the  Republican  party, 
and  a  moat  unfaltering  partisan.  The  reader  will  not 
forget  Mr.  Washburne's  scathing  attack  upon  him  in 
the  House  last  summer.  He  is  thirty-seven  years  old, 
and  looks  1'ke  a  fat,  sleek  parson  of  the  modern  school. 
He  affects  a  sombreness  of  dress,  which  contrasts  strik 
ingly  with  his  natural  jollity  of  manner.  He  is  an 
excellent  speaker,  and  is  one  of  the  prominent  men  of 
the  House.  He  recently  distinguished  himself  by  his 
eulogy  upon  Thaddeus  Stevens,  which,  though  fine  in 
itself,  was  not  at  all  a  truthful  or  fair  estimate  of  the 
dead  man.  Listening  to  him,  it  was  hard  to  believe 
that  the  voice  now  so  mellow  and  soft,  so  gentle 
and  tender,  was  the  same  that  had  rung  through 
the  House  a  few  months  before  in  such  bitter  denun 
ciation,  and  grown  harsh  with  the  most  withering  sar 
casm  ;  the  same  voice  that  had  both  charmed  and 
shamed  the  whole  country  by  its  brilliant  outrageous- 
ness. 

EX-GOVERNOK    BOUTWELL, 

of  Massachusetts,  sits  not  far  from  the  gentlemen  just 
named.  He  has  been  Governor  of  his  native  State 
for  two  terms,  and  was  the  first  Commissioner  of  the 
Internal  Revenue.  He  served  as  a  member  of  the 
Judiciary  Committee  which  was  charged  with  the  duty 
of  collecting  evidence  upon  which  to  base  the  accusa 
tions  against  the  President,  and  served  as  one  of  the 


OP  THE  NATIONAL  CAPITAL.          1G9 

managers  on  the  part  of  the  House  during  the  trial 
He  was  distinguished  for  the  intensity  of  his  hatred  of 
the  President,  and  the  bitterness  manifested  by  him  in 
his  whole  course — a  bitterness  and  hostility  which  con 
tributed  in  no  slight  degree  to  making  the  impeach 
ment  measures  odious  to  the  best  men  of  all  parties. 

JAMES    M.  ASHLEY, 

of  Ohio,  who  may  be  termed  the  "  father  "  of  the  Im 
peachment  scheme,  sits  just  back  of  Mr.  Boutwell.  He 
is  a  rugged-looking  man,  with  the  face  of  a  fanatic. 
He  is  a  native  of  Pennsylvania,  and  is  forty-four  years 
old.  He  has  been  a  printer,  a  steamboat  clerk,  a 
lawyer,  a  boat  builder,  a  wholesale  druggist,  and  a 
member  of  Congress.  He  is  a  violent  partisan,  and 
•while  he  may  do  for  times  such  as  the  country  has  just 
passed  through,  is  not  one  of  those  calculated  to  win 
much  enduring  success  for  his  party. 


JUDGE   EELLEY, 

of  Pennsylvania,  is  another  of  the  self-made  men  of 
the  House,  and  is  regarded  as  one  of  its  ablest  mem 
bers.  He  is  titty-five  years  old,  and  is  a  rugged,  hard- 
featured  man.  He  has  fought  his  way  up  from  his 
apprenticeship  in  a  jeweller's  shop,  single-handed,  and 
with  no  one  to  help  him.  He  studied  law  after  coming 
of  age,  and  was  admitted  to  the  bar  in  his  twenty- 
seventh  year.  He  at  once  plunged  into  politics  as  a 
Democrat,  but  left  that  party  in  1856,  as  he  could  not 
sustain  the  repeal  of  the  Missouri  Compromise.  He  is 
now  one  of  the  first  men  in  the  Republican  party,  and 


170  THE    SIGHTS    AND    SECRETS 

possesses  the  confidence  and  esteem  of  his  associates  is 
a  high  degree. 

GENERAL   GARFIELD, 

of  Ohio,  is  another  of  the  marked  men  of  the  House. 
He  is  thirty-seven  years  old,  is  a  native  of  Ohio,  and 
began  life  as  a  teacher.  He  made  a  brilliant  record  in 
the  Western  army  during  the  Rebellion,  and  rose  tu 
the  grade  of  Major-General  of  Volunteers.  He  is  an 
eloquent  speaker,  and  is  in  high  favor  with  the  Presi 
dent-elect. 

JAMES   F.  WILSON", 

of  Iowa,  sits  in  the  last  row  of  seats  near  the  extreme 
right  of  the  hall.  He  is  a  native  of  Ohio,  and  is  forty 
years  old.  He  removed  to  Iowa  at  the  age  of  twenty- 
five,  and  has  been  in  public  life  almost  ever  since.  He 
is  a  little  over  the  medium  size,  and  does  not  indicate 
his  abilities  by  his  personal  appearance.  His  hair  grows 
low  on  his  forehead,  is  cut  short,  is  of  an  iron  gray,  and 
defies  all  the  efforts  of  the  comb  to  make  it  lie  flat. 
He  is  the  Chairman  of  the  important  Judiciary  Com 
mittee,  T\hich  collected  the  testimony  upon  which  the 
impeachment  articles  were  based,  and  was  one  of  the 
Managers  on  the  part  of  the  House  during  the  trial. 

JOHN   A.  GRISWOLD, 

of  New  York,  sits  nearly  in  the  centre  of  the  halL 
He  is  forty-six  years  old,  and  is  a  banker  and  iron- 
factor.  He  was  once  Mayor  of  Troy,  in  which  city 
he  resides,  and  has  been  iu  Congress  since  1862.  He 
was  one  of  the  parties  who  built  the  famous  iron-clad 


02   THE    NATIONAL    CAPITAL.  171 

"Monitor;"  and  subsequently  built  several  other  ves 
sels  of  the  same  class.  He  was  defeated  in  1868,  aa 
the  Republican  nominee  for  Governor  of  New  York, 
by  Mr.  Hoffman,  the  Mayor  of  New  York  City. 

JOHN   A.  BINGHAM, 

of  Ohio,  sits  in  the  front  row  immediately  on  the  right 
of  the  official  reporters.  He  is  nearly  fifty-four  years 
old,  and  begins  to  show  his  age.  He  has  spent  twelve 
years  in  Congress,  and  is  one  of  the  most  learned  men 
in  the  House.  He  is  a  profound  lawyer,  and  was  re 
tained  by  the  Government  as  Assistant  Judge- Advocate 
in  the  trial  of  the  assassination  conspirators,  in  May, 
1865.  His  connection  with  the  trial  led  General  Butler 
to  denounce  him  on  the  floor  of  the  House  as  the  hang 
man  of  an  innocent  woman.  A  bitter  quarrel  ensued 
between  Messrs.  Butler  and  Bingham,  and  when  Mr. 
Bingham  was  selected  as  one  of  the  Managers  of  the 
Impeachment,  he  is  said  to  have  refused  to  serve  with 
a  man  who  had  brought  so  foul  a  charge  against  him. 
Party  spirit,  that  bane  of  the  country,  however,  effect 
ed  a  temporary  accommodation  of  the  hostility  between 
the  two  gentlemen,  and  Mr.  Bingham  assisted  in  the 
trial  of  the  President,  winning  great  credit  with  his 
party. 

JAMES    BEOOKS, 

of  New  York,  sits  near  the  central  aisle  of  the  hall. 
He  is  fifty-eight  years  old,  and  is  a  native  of  Maine. 
He  was  a  clerk  in  a  store  at  the  age  of  eleven,  a  school 
teacher  at  sixteen,  and  at  twenty-one  graduated  at 
Waterville  College.  After  travelling  and  correspond- 


172  THE    SIGHTS    AND    SECRETS 

iDg  with  the  press  for  several  years,  Mr.  Brooks  /ound 
himself  in  the  Maine  Legislature  at  the  age  of  twenty- 
five.  The  next  year  he  removed  to  New  York  City, 
and  established  the  "  Daily  Express,"  of  which  he  is 
at  present  an  editor  and  proprietor,  his  brother  being 
his  associate.  He  has  been  actively  engaged  in  politi 
cal  life  since  his  removal  to  New  York,  and  has  served 
several  terms  in  Congress.  He  is  an  able  and  vigorous 
speaker,  and  usually  commands  the  attention  of  the 
House  when  he  has  the  floor.  Although  not  formally 
recognized  as  such,  he  is  generally  regarded  as  the 
leader  of  the  Democratic  party  in  the  House,  and  is 
decidedly  one  of  the  soundest  men  in  the  hall.  A  Re 
publican  historian  styles  him  the  u  most  plausible  and 
best  natured  of  Democrats." 

Not  far  from  him  sits,  erect  and  attentive  to  what 
is  passing  in  the  hall, 

FEENAISTDO   "WOOD, 

of  New  York,  who  may  be  easily  recognized  by  his 
tall,  commanding  figure,  and  his  heavy  white  mous 
tache,  which  contrasts  strikingly  with  his  dark  hair. 
He  is  one  of  the  finest-looking  men  in  Congress,  a  cir 
cumstance  of  which  he  is  well  aware,  and  in  which  he 
takes  considerable  pride.  One  of  his  political  enemies 
has  drawn  the  following  pen-portrait  of  him : 

"  Mr.  Wood  is  about  sixty  years  of  age.  His  hair 
is  dark,  but  his  moustache  snowy  white.  He  is  tall, 
slim,  and  very  erect.  However  well  he  is  dressed, 
there  is  always  a  seedy  look  about  him,  such  as  marks 
a  well-dressed  loafer.  He  wears  black,  has  a  clerical 


OP   THE   NATIONAL   CAPITAL.  173 

look,  and  would  be  mistaken  anywhere  for  a  professoi 
in  college.  He  has  a  perpetual  smile  on  his  face,  which; 
cold  and  hollow,  is  well  described  by  the  word  smirk. 
He  dresses  evidently  with  care,  and  with  as  much  taste 
as  he, can  command.  He  makes  up  well,  has  been  care 
fully  preserved,  and  before  he  allowed  his  gray  mous 
tache  to  grow  looked  scarcely  forty  years  of  age. 
There  is  an  insincerity  about  him,  which  you  feel  when 
ever  he  speaks  to  you.  In  his  dress  and  deportment 
he  shows  his  shrewdness.  He  has  nothing  to  hope  for 
but  from  the  debased  of  New  York.  To  them  he  ca 
ters.  His  careful  array  and  sanctified  demeanor  are 
the  secret  of  his  power.  Wood  understands  human 
nature.  The  vile  and  ignominious  want  a  champion, 
but  they  do  not  want  him  to  look  vile  and  ignominious. 
They  want  him  to  dress  and  walk  with  the  best.  They 
point  to  him  when  he  is  in  public,  and  say, 4 That's  our 
champion.  He  is  as  smart  and  genteel,  as  handsomely 
dressed,  and  behaves  himself  as  well,  as  any  of  them.' 
Wood  understands  this  well.  When  he  goes  among 
his  constituents  in  the  lower  part  of  New  York  he  goes 
well  made  up.  His  black  frock  coat,  buttoned  up  to 
the  threat,  displays  his  lithe  and  genteel  form  to  ad 
vantage.  His  hat,  of  the  latest  style,  is  well  brushed 
and  glossy.  His  boots,  of  the  newest  fashion,  are 
polished  like  a  mirror.  His  gloves  fit  the  hand,  and, 
with  a  small  switch  or  walking  cane,  he  moves  round 
among  the  purlieus  of  the  city  like  a  person  from 
another  world.  So  his  constituents  receive  him.  He 
is  civil  and  bland,  but  icy.  He  speaks  to  the  women, 
pats  the  little  dirty  urchins  on  the  head  with  his  dainty 


174  THE    SIGHTS    AND    SECRETS 

fingers ;  holds  his  levees  in  beer  saloons,  and  Dutch 
groceries,  and  drinks  lager  with  his  friends  out  of  the 
rude  mugs,  as  if  he  was  tippling  champagne  at  the  St. 
Nicholas.  Everywhere  he  wears  the  same  bland, 
treacherous  smile ;  everywhere  he  is  the  same,  wily, 
treacherous  politician." 

That  big,  burly  fellow,  sitting  back  near  the  ex 
treme  left  of  the  hall,  is  one  of  the  most  noted  men  in 
Congress.  Few  persons  visit  the  hall  without  asking 
to  have  him  pointed  out.  He  is 

JOHN  MOEBISSET, 

of  New  York.  In  place  of  any  description  of  our 
own,  we  present  to  the  reader  the  following  sketch  of 
him  by  a  recent  writer :  * 

"A  few  years  ago  John  Morrissey  was  a  resident 
of  Troy.  He  kept  a  small  drinking  saloon  of  the  low 
est  character.  It  was  the  resort  of  the  low  prize-fight 
ers,  gamblers,  thieves,  and  dissolute  persons  of  all 
degrees.  So  low,  and  dissolute,  and  disreputable  was 
the  place,  that  it  was  closed  by  the  authorities.  With 
other  traits,  Morrissey  blended  that  of  a  prize-fighter 
of  the  lowest  caste.  Drunken,  brutal,  without  friends 
or  money,  battered  in  his  clothes  and  in  his  person,  he 
drifted  down  to  New  York  to  see  what  would  turn  up. 
lie  located  himself  in  the  lowest  stews  of  New  York. 
At  that  time  the  elections  in  the  city  were  carried  by 
brute  force.  There  was  no  registry  law,  and  the  in 
junction  of  politicians  to  vote  early  and  vote  often, 

*  Sunshine  and  Shadow  in  New  York,    By  Mathew  Hale  Smith. 


OP  THE  NATIONAL  CAPITAL.          175 

was  literally  obeyed.  Roughs,  shortboys,  "brutal  repre 
sentatives  of  the  Bloody  Sixth,  took  possession  of  the 
polls.  Respectable  men,  who  were  known  to  be  op 
posed  to  the  corruption  and  brutality  which  marked 
the  ejections,  were  assaulted,  beaten,  robbed,  and  often 
had  their  coats  torn  from  their  backs.  The  police  were 
powerless ;  often  they  were  the  allies  of  the  bullies^ 
and  citizens  had  quite  as  much  to  fear  from  them  as 
the  rowdies.  If  the  election  was  likely  to  go  against 
them,  and  their  friends  presided  over  the  ballot-box, 
and  should  signal  the  danger,  a  rush  would  be  made 
by  twenty  or  thirty  desperate  fellows,  the  boxes  be 
seized  and  smashed,  tables  and  heads  broken,  the  voters 
dispersed,  and  the  election  carried  by  default. 

"A  local  election  was  to  take  place  in  the  upper 
part  of  the  city.  The  friends  of  good  order  were  iu 
the  majority,  if  allowed  to  vote.  But  it  was  known 
that  the  rowdies  would  come  in  force  and  control  the 
election.  A  few  voters  got  together  to  see  what  could 
be  done,  and  among  them  the  present  General  Super 
intendent  of  Police  (of  New  York).  It  was  suggested 
that  force  be  met  with  force,  the  ballot-box  be  guarded, 
and  the  assailants  beaten  off  by  their  own  weapons. 
But  where  could  the  materials  be  found  to  grapple 
with  the  Plug-Uglies  and  their  associates  ?  Somebody 
said  that  Morrissey  was  in  town,  ready  for  a  job,  and 
that  he  could  organize  a  force  and  guard  the  election. 

u  One  day  Mrs.  Kennedy  came  to  her  husband,  as 
he  sat  in  his  room,  and  said  to  him,  '  There  is  an  awful 
looking  man  at  the  door,  who  wants  to  see  you.  He 
is  dirty  and  ragged,  has  a  ferocious  look,  and  is  the 


176  THE    BIGHTS    AND    SECRETS 

most  terrible  fellow  I  ever  saw.  Don't  go  to  the  door, 
lie  certainly  means  mischief.'  '  Is  he  a  big,  burly-look 
ing  fellow?'  'Yes.'  '  Broad-shouldered,  tall,  with  his 
nose  turned  one  side?'  'Yes,  yes,'  said  the  impatient 
lady.  *  O,  I  know  who  it  is  ;  it  is  John  Morrissey  j  let 
him  come  in.'  '  O,  husband,  the  idea  of  your  associat 
ing  with  such  men,  and  bringing  them  to  the  house, 
too!'  But  the  unwelcome  visitor  walked  into  the 
parlor.  Now,  John  Morrissey,  at  Saratoga,  in  his  white 
flannel  suit,  huge  diamond  rings,  and  pin  containing 
brilliants  of  the  first  water,  and  of  immense  size ;  tall 
of  stature,  a  powerful-looking  fellow,  walking  quietly 
about  the  streets,  or  lounging  at  the  hotels,  but  seldom 
speaking,  is  not  a  bad  looking  man.  Seen  in  New 
York,  in  his  clerical  black  suit,  a  little  too  flashy  to  be 
a  minister,  yet  among  bankers,  merchants,  or  at  the 
Stock  Board,  he  would  pass  very  well  as  one  of  the 
solid  men  of  the  city.  But  Morrissey,  as  he  appeared 
that  morning,  was  an  entirely  different  personage.  He 
had  come  from  a  long  debauch,  and  that  of  the  lowest 
kind.  He  was  bruised  and  banged  up.  His  clothes 
were  tattered.  The  Island  was  all  that  seemed  to  be 
opened  to  him.  With  him  a  bargain  was  made  to 
organize  a  force  of  fighters  and  bullies,  sufficient  to 
prevent  the  ballot-boxes  from  being  smashed,  and  the 
voters  from  being  driven  from  the  polls.  He  said  "he 
could  do  it,  for  he  was  at  home  among  the  .despe 
radoes.  True  to  his  appointment,  he  was  at  the  polls 
before  they  were  open.  He  was  attended  by  about 
thirty  as  desperate-looking  fellows  as  ever  rode  in  a 
wagon  or  swung  from  Tyburn,  He  stationed  his 


OF   THE   NATIONAL   CAPITAL.  177 

force,  gave  his  orders,  told  each  not  to  strike  promis 
cuously,  but,  on  the  first  appearance  of  disturbance 
each  to  seize  his  man,  and  noi,  leave  him  till  his  head 
was  broken.  There  was  no  disturbance  till  twelve 
o'clock.  The  late  Captain  Carpenter  was  in  charge. 
About  noon,  a  huge  lumber  van  drove  up,  drawn 
by  four  horses.  It  was  loaded  with  the  roughest  of 
the  rough,  who  shouted  and  yelled  as  the  vehicle 
neared  the  curb-stone.  Bill  Poole,  at  that  time  so 
notorious,  led  the  company.  They  were  choice  spe 
cimens  of  the  men  who  then  made  the  rulers  of  New- 
York.  Plug-Uglies,  Bummers,  Roughs  of  the  Bloody 
Sixth,  Short  Boys,  Fourth  Warders,  and  men  of  that 
class,  were  fully  represented.  Bill  Poole  sprang  to  the 
side- walk.  Captain  Carpenter  stood  in  the  door. 
Addressing  him,  Poole  said,  '  Cap.,  may  I  go  in  ? ' 
1 0,  yes,  walk  in  and  welcome/  Carpenter  said,  and  in 
Poole  went.  He  saw  the  situation  at  a  glance.  He 
measured  Morrissey  and  his  gang,  turned  on  his  heel, 
and  passing  out,  said,  c  Good  morning,  Cap.,  I  won't 
give  you  a  call  to-day ;  drive  on  boys,1  and  on  they 
went  towards  some  polling  place  where  they  could 
play  their  desperate  game  without  having  their  heads 
broken. 

"  This  was  Morrissey's  first  upward  step.  He  wash 
ed  his  face;  with  a  part  of  the  money  paid  him  he 
bought  a  suit  of  clothes,  and  with  the  balance  opened 
a  small  place  for  play.  He  became  thoroughly  tem 
perate.  .He  resolved  to  secure  first-class  custom.  To 
do  this  he  knew  he  must  dress  well,  behave  well, 
be  sober,  an4  not  gamble.  These  resolutions  he  car- 


178  THE    SIGHTS    AND    SECRETS 

ried  out.  His  house  in  New  York  is  the  most  elegant 
ly  furnished  of  any  of  the  kind  in  the  State.  It  has 
always  been  conducted  on  principles  of  the  highest 
honor,  as  gamblers  understand  that  term.  His  table, 
attendants,  cooking,  and  company,  are  exceeded  by 
nothing  this  side  of  the  Atlantic. 

"  He  followed  his  patrons  to  Saratoga,  and  opened 
there  what  was  called  a  Club  House.  Judges,  sena 
tors,  merchants,  bankers,  millionaires,  became  his  guests. 
The  disguise  was  soon  thrown  off,  and  the  Club  House 
assumed  the  form  of  a  first-class  gambling  house  at  the 
Springs.  Horse  racing  and  attendant  games  followed, 
all  bringing  custom  and  profit  to  Morrissey's  establish 
ment.  About  this  time  the  celebrated  conspiracy  was 
formed  by  politicians  and  railroad  men  to  break  down 
Harlem  Railroad,  and  with  it  Commodore  Vanderbilt. 
As  a  player  Morrissey  soon  became  familiar  with  Van 
derbilt,  who  spent  his  summers  at  the  Springs.  In  the 
extraordinary  movements  made  by  Commodore  Van 
derbilt  to  checkmate  the  conspirators,  and  throw  them 
on  their  back,  Morrissey  was  employed  to  play  a  con 
spicuous  part.  He  made  his  appearance  at  the  Stock 
Board,  backed  by  Vnnderbilt.  He  traded  in  Hailem, 
in  a  manner  that  astounded  the  old  operators  at  the 
Board.  He  was  allowed  to  share  in  the  profits  of  that 
bold  stroke  which  ruined  thousands  who  had  sold  Har 
lem  short.  Morrissey  is  row  worth  half  a  million.  He 
is  still  a  gambler  by  profession,  and  carries  on  his  estab 
lishments  in  Saratoga  and  New  York." 

In  the  Fall  of  1866,  Mr.  Morrissey  was  elected  to 
Congress  from  the  Fifth  District  of  New  York.  His 


OP  THE   NATIONAL   CAPITAL.  179 

election  created  no  little  surprise  throughout  the  coun 
try,  as  it  was  well  known  that  he  was  in  no  way  qual 
ified  for  the  position.  The  reasons  for  his  choice  will 
no  doubt  remain  amongst  the  political  mysteries  of 
the  land.  It  is  the  only  instance  in  which  a  man  of 
similar  antecedents  ever  occupied  a  seat  in  the  Amer 
ican  Congress." 

There  was  a  parallel  case  in  the  British  Parliament 
about  half  a  century  ago.  At  that  time,  there  lived  in 
England  a  noted  prize-fighter,  named  John  Galley.  In 
this  capacity  he  made  many  friends  amongst  the  nobil 
ity  and  the  "  fancy.'1  Having  acquired  some  money, 
he  opened  a  "  hell "  in  St.  James  street,  London,  within 
a  few  doors  of  Piccadilly.  He  next  became  a  patron 
of  the  turf,  and  got  into  "  good  society  "  at  Doncaster. 
Soon  after  this,  he  was  elected  to  the  House  of  Com 
mons,  as  member  for  Friarsborough. 

PERQUISITES. 

The  pay  of  a  member  of  Congress  is  five  thousand 
dollars  per  annum,  and  mileage.  The  latter  item  is  in 
tended  to  cover  all  the  expenses  of  the  regular  journeys 
between  Washington  and  the  member's  home,  which 
consist  of  coming  to  the  Capital  at  the  beginning  of 
the  session,  and  going  away  at  the  end  of  it.  This 
amounts  to  a  considerable  sum,  and  is  paid  to  members 
should  they  remain  in  Washington  during  the  entire 
year. 

The  perquisites  of  members  form  a  considerable 
item  in  their  compensations.  Each  may  order  large 
quantities  of  stationery  for  his  private  use  ;  and  in  this 


180  THE    SIGHTS    AND    SECRETS 

term  "stationery,"  are  embraced  many  articles  of 
luxury  and  extravagance.  Members  receive  knives, 
toothpicks,  fans,  combs,  pocket-books,  medicated  paper, 
and  other  things;  and  it  is  even  said  that  articles  of 
clothing  have  been  drawn  by  unprincipled  members 
"  as  stationery."  A  recent  report  made  in  Congress, 
showed  that  the  total  cost  of  these  luxuries  to  the  tax 
payers  of  the  country  amounts  anually  to  an  enormous 
sum ;  and  it  is  difficult  to  understand  how  so  much 
"  stationery  "  can  be  conscientiously  used  by  Congress, 
dnring  a  single  session.  In  the  single  item  of  pocket- 
knives,  it  was  shown  that  the  number  issued  to  mem 
bers  was  sufficient  to  supply  each  one  with  a  new 
knife,  of  the  finest  pattern,  every  week  during  the 
session.  Whole  tons  of  writing  materials  are  issued 
— more,  in  fact,  to  each  member,  than  it  seems  can 
possibly  be  used  by  him.  Indeed,  the  waste  and  ex 
travagance  of  members,  in  articles  of  u  stationery,"  is 
abominable,  and  imposes  a  heavy  load  upon  our  already 
overburdened  people.  Members  seem  to  think  they 
are  bound  by  no  obligation  to  be  economical  of  the 
public  funds ;  and  while  they  are  careful  to  deny  ap 
propriations  to  really  deserving  objects,  on  the  ground 
of  economy,  they  never  fail  to  minister  to  their  own 
luxurious  fancies,  at  the  public  expense.  Not  long 
since,  the  idea  was  seriously  advanced,  that  it  was  the 
duty  of  the  Government  to  build  residences  in  the  city 
for  the  Senators,  and  it  is  probable  that  the  scheme 
would  have  grown  in  favor,  had  not  the  indignant 
whirlwind  of  public  sentiment  swept  it  away,  at  its 
birtb. 


OP   THE    NATIONAL    CAPITAL.  lSl 

All  this  extravagance  is  covered  over  by  the  gen 
eral  term,  "contingent  expenses"  of  the  House  or  the 
Senate.  In  the  House,  the  waste  is  shameful.  Mr. 
W.  J.  Monker,  of  Washington,  in  a  pamphlet  pub 
lished  by  him  some  time  since,  thus  sums  up  the 
annual  expenses  of  the  House  of  Representatives  : 

Year  ending  June  30,  1864,  .  .$853,630 

Year  ending  June  30,  1865,  .  •     481,884 

Year  ending  June  30,  1866,  .  .     462,438 

Year  ending  June  30,  1867,  .  .     502,081 

Year  ending  June  30,  1868,  .  .     725,555 

Additional  Compensation,    .  .  .     100,000 

Total,     ....    $2,625,588 

In  the  year  1868,  the  allowance  of  "stationery11 
was  equivalent  to  $520  to  each  member.  There  were 
$5,086  worth  of  pens,  many  of  them  gold  pens,  used 
by  the  House  and  $5,620  worth  of  pen-knives.  The 
House  during  the  last  session  appointed  a  committee 
to  examine  into  the  charges  of  extravagance  brought 
against  it,  but  the  committee  made  a  white-washing 
report,  glossing  over  the  affair.  Mr.  H.  McCulloch,  of 
Maryland,  from  this  same  committee,  also  presented  a 
minority  report,  showing  that  funds  have  been  illegal 
ly  and  improperly  disbursed,  and  declaring  that  the 
committee  is  not  a  proper  committee  to  investigate 
such  charges.  He  says :  "  It  is  like  a  member  charged 
with  corruption  or  fraud  asking  for  a  committee  to  in 
vestigate  that  charge,  and,  being  appointed  its  chair 
man,  to  report  on.  his  own  case." 


182  THE    SIGHTS    AND    SECRETS 

It  is  useless  to  lay  these  charges  of  extravagance 
and  waste  at  the  door  of  any  particular  party.  The 
whole  country  is  cursed  with  such  evils,  and  Congress 
is  but  true  to  its  natural  and  national  instincts. 


RING  TUB   IMPEACHMENT    TKIAL. 


OP   THE   NATIONAL   CAPITAL.  183 


V. 


THE  LOBBY. 

EVERY  man,  woman,  and  child  in  Washington,  is  a 
politician.  The  people  inhale  politics  with  the  air 
they  breathe,  and  talk  and  think  of  but  little  else. 
Every  man  seems  to  be  under  the  impression  that  he 
has  influence  in  some  part  of  the  Government,  did  he 
but  choose  to  exert  it ;  and  as  for  the  women — ah  ! 
they  would  like  to  see  the  official  or  Congressman 
they  cannot  win  over.  Many  of  the  residents,  of  both 
sexes,  do  seek  to  exercise  this  influence,  which  may  be 
either  real  or  fancied,  and  their  ranks  are  swelled 
every  winter  by  fresh  arrivals,  from  other  parts  of  the 
country,  of  persons  equally  impressed  with  the  idea 
thafe  they,  too,  have  influence  with  Congress,  or  the 
Government,  which  they  mean  to  exert  in  every  pos 
sible  manner.  These  individuals  constitute  what  is 
generally  known  as  "  the  lobby,"  and  are,  in  most 
cases,  proficients  in  the  ancient  art  of  "  log-rolling." 

WHY    SHEEWD    MEN   AND    WOMEN   AEE   SENT 
TO   THE    CAPITAL. 

Pecuniary  enterprises  of  all  kinds,  both  legitimate 
and  infamous,  are  springing  up  every  day  in  all  parta 
of  the  country.  Strange  as  it  may  seem,  very  few  of 
the  greatest  of  these  schemes  have  sufficient  vitality 


184  THE   SIGHTS    AND    SECRETS 

of  their  own  to  carry  them  through  to  success ;  and 
the  great  majority  rely  upon  subsidies  of  lands  or 
money  from  the  General  or  State  Governments,  or 
from  both.  No  one  will  deny  that  it  is  both  wise  and 
expedient  for  Congress  to  encourage  and  aid  the  great 
improvements  of  the  country,  which  are  national  m 
their  character;  but  the  American  people  are  averse, 
as  a  general  rule,  to  spending  their  money  for  the 
benefit  of  a  private  corporation,  and  are  emphatically 
opposed  to  such  a  use  of  it  on  the  part  of  Congress. 
The  members  of  that  body  are  well  aware  of  this,  and 
while  they  disregard  it,  conduct  their  operations  in  such 
a  manner  as  to  make  it  almost  impossible  to  discover 
any  of  their  acts  except  their  votes. 

The  parties  interested  in  the  schemes  for  which 
Government  aid  is  asked,  begin  their  operations  by 
supposing  that  they  must  have  some  energetic,  active 
agent  in  Washington,  to  keep  the  scheme  before  Con 
gress  and  the  Government,  and  urge  upon  the  members 
and  officials  a  compliance  with  their  demands.  Forth 
with,  an  agent  with  full  powers  is  despatched  to  the 
Capital.  This  person  is  generally  a  man,  but  is  some 
times  a  woman.  Almost  all  important  schemes,  how 
ever,  have  agents  of  both  sexes,  who  are  persons  of 
education,  intelligence,  and  great  powers  of  insinua 
tion  and  fascination.  Women  make  excellent  lobbyists, 
as  they  are  more  plausible  than  men,  and  cannot  be 
shaken  off  as  rudely. 

Upon  reaching  Washington,  the  lobbyists  are  not 
slow  in  getting  to  work.  Much  is  left  to  their  own 
discretion;  but  much  more  is  done  in  obedience  to 


OF   THE  NATIONAL   CAPITAL.  185 

"instructions  from  headquarters."  The  aid  desired 
may  be  from  the  Government,  or  from  Congress,  or 
from  both ;  and  all  sorts  of  artifices  are  resorted  to  to 
secure  it.  Officials  are  approached  in  every  imaginable 
way,  and,  if  no  direct  bribe  is  offered,  the  intriguer 
endeavors,  generally  with  success,  to  gain  the  con 
fidence  and  friendship  of  the  party  against  whom  his 
arts  are  directed.  This  accomplished,  he  broaches  his 
scheme  so  delicately,  and  presses  it  so  skilfully,  that 
the  official  is  won  over  before  he  knows  it.  If  the 
man  fails,  the  female  lobbyist  is  called  in  to  exert  her 
arts,  which  are  more  potent  than  those  of  the  sterner 
sex.  Congressmen  and  officials  are  famous  as  being 
the  most  susceptible  men  in  the  world,  and  the  fair 
charmer  is  generally  successful.  Men  in  public  life 
are  very  obliging  when  they  choose  to  be,  and  these 
women  know  how  to  win  favors  from  them. 

It  is  very  common  for  the  lobbyists  to  approach 
public  men  through  their  families.  Mrs.  A.  or  Mrs.  B. 
will  receive  magnificent  presents  from  persons  who  are 
but  little  more  than  casual  acquaintances.  Their  first 
impulse  is  to  return  the  articles,  but  they  are  so  hand 
some,  and  just  what  they  have  been  wanting  so  long, 
without  being  able  to  afford  them  oat  of  their  hus 
bands'  incomes — for  the  lobbyists  are  careful  to  in 
form  themselves  what  will  be  most  acceptable — and  so, 
after  a  little  struggle,  they  decide  to  keep  the  gifts. 

Of  course  some  especial  civility  must  be  shown 
the  givers  of  the  presents.  This  is  dene,  and  the  first 
point  of  the  lobbyist  is  gained.  In  a  little  while  the 
wife  is  won  over.  She  thinks  the  scheme  an  excellent 


1&6  THE  SIGHTS  AND  SECRETS 

one — and  honestly  thinks  it,  too — and  will  be  so  bene 
ficial  to  the  country!  She  does  not  like  to  meddle  in 
her  husband's  affairs,  but  she  will  mention  the  matter 
to  him.  The  better-half  of  the  official  being  thus 
secured,  the  remainder  can  and  does  make  but  a  feeble 
resistance,  and  his  aid  is  secured  for  the  scheme. 

Now  this  is  the  mildest  and  most  innocent  feature 
of  the  lobby.  Of  course  there  is  a  sacrifice  of  prin 
ciple,  from  which  a  Senator  of  old  Rome  would  have 
shrunk ;  but  men's  consciences  are  tough  to-day,  and 
our  official,  won  in  this  way,  honestly  thinks  he  has 
sacrificed  nothing  of  his  duty,  and  has  only  yielded 
to  a  demand  which  no  fair-minded,  liberal  man  can 
resist.  Why,  he  has  been  won  over  merely  by  the 
arguments  of  his  wife  and  his  friends.  He  has  not 
sullied  his  honor  with  the  acceptance  of  any  thing  like 
a  bribe,  and  there  was  his  friend  the  Honorable  John 
Smith,  who  is  said  to  have  been  paid  in  money  for  his 
influence  and  his  vote  in  behalf  of  the  same  scheme  1 
So  he  goes  to  his  rest  with  a  quiet  mind,  and  a  clear 
conscience,  and — his  wife  or  his  children  enjoy  the 
benefits  of  his  Spartan  virtue. 

Mrs,  Lincoln  was  much  sought  after  by  the  lob 
byists,  who,  knowing  that  they  would  not  dare  to  hint 
at  a  bribe  to  the  President,  loaded  her  with  flattery 
and  presents.  She  was  not  deceived  by  them,  however 
and  made  good  use  of  them  to  secure  the  reelection  of 
her  husband.  She  once  said  to  one  of  her  friends,  in 
discussing  the  matter :  u  I  have  an  object  in  view.  In 
a  political  canvass  it  is  policy  to  cultivate  every  element 
of  strength.  These  men  have  influence,  and  we  require 


OF  THE  NATIONAL  CAPITAL.          187 

influence  to  reelect  Mr.  Lincoln.  I  will  be  clever  to 
them  until  after  the  election,  and  then,  if  we  remain  at 
the  White  House,  I  will  drop  every  one  of  them,  and 
let  them  know  very  plainly  that  I  only  made  tools  of 
them.  They  are  an  unprincipled  set,  and  I  don't  mind 
a  little  double-dealing  with  them." 

"  Does  Mr.  Lincoln  know  what  your  purpose  is  ? n 
asked  her  friend. 

"  No  !  He  would  never  sanction  such  a  proceeding, 
so  I  keep  him  in  the  dark,  and  will  tell  him  of  it  when 
all  is  over.  He  is  too  honest  to  take  proper  care  of  his 
own  interests,  so  I  feel  it  to  be  my  duty  to  electioneer 
for  him." 

It  is  whispered  in  Washington  that  votes  for  Con 
gress  are  bought  for  so  much  money,  or  for  an  interest 
in  the  schemes  for  which  they  are  asked.  You  will 
hear  all  sorts  of  charges  brought  against  officials  of  all 
grades,  all  affecting  the  honesty  of  the  man.  These 
things  are  told  you  in  confidence,  and  when  you  ask  for 
proofs,  you  cannot  get  them.  Your  confidential  friend 
has  no  wish  to  get  into  trouble  with  the  "  powers  that 
be,"  so  he  puts  you  off  by  reminding  you  that  he  trusts 
to  your  honor  not  to  reveal  any  thing  he  has  told  you. 
The  majority  of  these  confidences  are  mere  idle  rumors. 
Did  you  heed  all  of  them  you  could  not  resist  the  con 
viction  that  every  official  and  Congressman  in  the  city 
is  in  the  direct  pay  of  the  lobby.  Now  the  truth  is, 
that  there  are  honest  men  in  the  Government  as  well 
as  in  private  life.  Who  are  the  dishonest  ones,  it  is 
hard  to  say.  Accusations  are  plentiful ;  proofs  are 
scarce. 


188  THE    SIGHTS    AND    SECRETS 

The  facts  are,  that  both  in  Washington  and  through 
out  the  whole  country,  the  integrity  of  many  men  in 
public  life  is  doubted.  The  public  moneys  are  wasted. 
Measures  are  set  on  foot  and  carried  out  which  do  not 
commend  themselves  to  the  sober  judgment  of  the 
people,  and  which  ought  not  to  be  adopted  by  those  in 
power,  and  the  rumor  is  general  throughout  the  whole 
country  that  these  measures  were  carried  through  by 
bribery.  It  is  furthermore  believed  throughout  the 
country  that  men  are  sent  to  Congress,  and  put  into  tho 
various  departments  of  the  Government  for  the  especial 
purpose  of  carrying  out  the  most  iniquitous  schemes, 
of  preventing  inquiry  into  them,  and  shielding  from 
punishment  those  engaged  in  them.  No  one  will  deny 
that  these  feelings  of  distrust  and  suspicion  do  prevail 
all  over  the  land.  Their  effects  are  very  damaging  to 
the  country  and  to  the  cause  of  public  morality.  It  is 
known  that  large  sums  of  money  are  spent  by  the 
"  rings,"  as  they  are  called,  for  the  purpose  of  securing 
Government  aid  for  their  schemes.  It  is  rumored  and 
generally  believed  that  this  money  is  spent  in  buying 
the  aid  of  individual  members  of  the  Government.  It 
is  known  that  few  public  men  above  the  position  of 
.clerks,  can  or  do  live  upon  their  official  salaries.  They 
spend  annually  more  than  double  the  sum  received 
from  the  Government,  and  many  of  them  have  no  other 
risible  source  of  income.  It  is  said  that  the  most  of 
this  splendor  is  paid  for  by  the  lobby,  and  that  the 
majority  of  public  men  are  always  open  to  bribes. 
We  make  no  charges  against  any  one.  We  merely 
mention  what  is  generally  suspected  and  believed 


OF   THE   NATIONAL   CAPITAL.  189 

throughout  the  country  at  large ;  and  that  our  state 
ments  as  to  this  popular  belief  are  true,  no  one  will 
deny.  We  content  ourselves  by  recalling  to  the  reader's 
mind,  the  homely  old  adage,  u  There  must  be  some  fire 
whew  there  is  so  much  smoke" 

CONGRESSIONAL   LOBBYING. 

Congressmen  are  famous  lobbyists,  and  rarely  fail 
to  carry  their  points.  A  member  introduces  a  bill, 
which  he  is  anxious  to  have  passed.  In  order  to  secure 
votes  for  it,  he  solicits  his  friends  in  the' House  to  which 
he  belongs,  as  follows :  "  Jones,  I  have  a  bill  before  the 
House  to  build  a  lighthouse  at  the  harbor  of  my  town, 
which  my  constituents  are  particularly  anxious  to  have 
passed.  Now,  if  you'll  vote  for  my  bill,  I'll  vote  for 
that  you  introduced  a  few  days  ago  to  clear  out  your 
harbor."  Jones  thinks  u  a  fair  exchange  no  robbery," 
and  obligingly  promises  his  vote,  and  thus  a  vote  is 
secured  for  each  bill.  This  is  very  harmless  and  inno 
cent,  except  that  it  leads  to  a  looseness  in  matters  of 
legislation,  which  is  apt  to  make  members  forgetful  of 
the  real  interests  of  the  country. 

THE   LOBBY   AT   WORK. 

The  correspondent  of  the  Cincinnati  Gazette  writes 
as  follows  of  the  "  Washington.  Lobby  : " 

"  Though  bleeding,  cupping,  and  leeching  have  had 
their  day  in  the  medical  profession,  our  political  Solons 
not  only  hold  on  to  them  all  with  desperation,  but  act 
as  if  they  believed  their  own  salvation,  at  least,  de» 


190  THE    SIGHTS    AND    SECRETS 

pended  upon  the  frequency  of  the  operation  and  the 
amount  of  blood  drawn  at  each. 

"  The  body  bled  is  the  National  Treasury.  The 
chief  physicians  who  assist  are  Senators  and  Represen 
tatives  of  both  parties. 

"  The  lobby — that  great  array  of  blood-suckers — 
has  occupied  Washington  in  force.  Two  weeks'  skir 
mishing  with  them  has  fully  developed  their  line* 
This  army  has  come  to  steal — to  use  plain  terms.  It 
has  come  to  steal  on  the  large  scale.  It  feels  that  un 
less  its  measures  can  be  perfected  before  this  session 
ends,  they  will  fail  through  Grant's  opposition  and  veto, 
even  if  Congress  is  not  honest  enough  to  cast  them 
aside.  And  so  the  movement  on  this  Congress  is  one 
in  force.  And  it  will  be  well  for  the  press  of  the 
country  to  watch  it. 

"  Just  now  the  danger  to  the  Republican  party  is, 
that  the  corporations  to  which  many  of  its  prominent 
men  lend  themselves  will  ruin  it.  Andrew  Johnson's 
Administration  has  been  fearfully  corrupt,  but  all  of 
its  stealings  have  not  gone  into  the  pockets  of  Demo 
crats.  Randall's  Postoffice  ring,  the  Indian  ring,  and 
the  Whisky  ring  have  been  held  up  to  the  country  as 
purely  Johnson  institutions.  The  Republican  press 
has  been  comparatively  silent  as  to  schemes  in  which 
members  of  its  own  party  were  participants,  or  at  least 
the  names  of  Republicans  have  not  been  used  in  con 
nection  with  them.  If  political  expediency  is  a  matter 
to  be  considered,  then  it  was  well  to  consider  these 
things.  But  now  the  time  has  gone  for  withholding 
truth.  Every  one  of  the  rings  mentioned  above  had 


OP   THE   NATIONAL    CAPITAL.  191 

Republican  members,  some  of  them  Senators,  some  of 
them  members  of  the  House.  The  moment  a  word  is 
written  against  any  of  them  now,  they  begin  to  plead 
what  might  be  called  the  'injured  innocence'  dodge. 
But  it  is  too  late,  gentlemen  ;  entirely  too  late.  The 
people  gave  most  of  you  very  significant  hints  in  your 
reduced  majorities  last  November.  A  general  denial 
and  raising  a  hue-and-cry  against  those  who  attempt  to 
expose  you,  shouting  '  Conservative,'  '  Copperhead,' 
or  what  not,  will  not  save  you.  The  only  way  through 
is  to  stop  short.  Don't  offer  any  more  bills  on  either 
floor,  which,  if  they  had  their  real  titles,  would  be: 
1  A  bill  for  the  benefit  of  myself  and  John  Smith,'  or 

'A  bill  to  obtain millions  of  government  money.' 

Let  your  committees  smother  those  of  this  character 
already  before  them — and  nearly  every  committee  has 
some  under  consideration.  And  in  all  of  them  Repub 
licans  and  Democrats  are  engaged  in  about  the  propor 
tion  of  their  numbers  in  the  two  Houses.  If  any  thing, 
Republicans  are  more  largely  represented,  because  they 
have  more  power. 

"THE  KAILKOAD  LOBBY. 

"  At  present  perhaps  there  is  more  money  in  the 
various  railroad  schemes  than  in  any  other.  And  this 
thing  is  on  a  scale  which  the  country  does  not  compre 
hend,  notwithstanding  the  constant  talk  about  it.  Thus 
far  in  the  Fortieth  Congress  there  have  been  seventy- 
two  railroad  bills  introduced  in  the  Senate  alone. 
Eight  were  presented  at  the  first  short  session,  fifty 
two  at  the  second  session,  and  in  the  two  weeks  of  the 


192  THE   SIGHTS   AND    SECRETS 

present  session  eleven  have  been  reported  and  printed. 
And  these  last  do  not  include  four  as  gigantic  as  any 
which  have  been  passed,  yet  to  come.  One  is  in  prepa 
ration  for  which  its  friends  are  now  gathering  power, 
for  the  Northern  Pacific,  one  for  the  Albuquerque  line 
and  its  several  connections;  one  for  Mr.  Pomeroy's 
little  private  Atchison  Pacific — one  of  the  nicest  and 
fattest  speculations  ever  concocted  and  worked  through 
— having  these  special  qualifications  of  nice  and  fat,  on 
account  of  the  small  number  to  divide  the  spoils  ;  one 
for  two  roads  south  and  west  from  St.  Louis,  and  two 
or  three  for  Southern  Pacific  lines  from  Memphis,  New 
Orleans,  and  points  in  Texas. 

"  In  all  this  there  are  four  lines  across  the  Conti 
nent,  with  connecting  roads  enough  to  stretch  out  into 
two  more;  and  then  such  little^  ventures  as  the  Atchi 
son  and  Denver  lines  by  the  score. 

"  Of  all  these  bills,  fully  three-fourths  were  origi 
nated  by  Republicans.  Four  Senators  brought  in 
nearly  half  of  them.  Mr.  Pomeroy  reported  eleven, 
Mr.  Ramsey  seven,  Mr.  Conness  five,  and  Mr.  Harlan 
four.  Mr.  Pomeroy  did  not  confine  his  attention  to 
any  particular  part  of  the  country.  He  proposed  one 
land  grant  through  the  rich  lands  about  Port  Royal, 
South  Carolina,  and  another  one  of  his  measures  was 
for  the  benefit  of  his  Wisconsin  brethren  ;  but,  not 
desiring  to  be  reckoned  as  worse  than  an  infidel,  he 
made  full  provision  for  his  own  political  household  in 
Kansas.  We  find  his  name  attached  to  a  land  grant 
for  a  railroad  from  Lawrence  to  the  Mexican  line ;  to 
three  bills  for  roads  from  Fort  Scott  to  Santa  Fe  ;  to  a 


OF   THE   NATIONAL   CAPITAL.  198 

pleasant  arrangement  for  the  Southern  branch  of  the 
Union  Pacific  Road — whatever  that  may  be — and  also 
to  a  land  grant  from  Irwing,  Kansas,  to  New  Mexico 
and  all  for  the  national  good,  of  course. 

"  These,  it  must  be  remembered,  are  such  railroads 
as  Northern  companies,  Northern  lobby  men,  and 
Northern  Congressmen  %  have  concocted.  The  word 
concocted  is  good  for  most,  though  a  few  are  merito 
rious.  The  Southern  States  are  just  beginning  to  vote, 
and  the  scent  of  Southern  men  in  Congress  is  now  as 
keen  in  respect  to  all  material  interests  as  the  Northern 
Congressman's  nose.  The  reason  is  evident.  Southern 
smelling  is  now  done  with  Northern  noses.  Carpet 
bags  have  wrought  this  change  for  the  South  ;  and  as 
a  result,  among  the  very  first  subjects  to  call  out  bills 
from  Southern  men  are  the  railroad  interests. 

And  heading  the  column,  comes  Mr.  Senator 
Spencer,  with  a  bill  making  a  land-grant,  not  through 
the  public  domain  on  the  plains,  but  through  the 
States  of  Tennessee,  Georgia,  Alabama,  Mississippi, 
and  Louisiana,  with  permission  to  get  all  the  "  earth, 
stone,  timber,  and  other  materials  "  for  the  construc 
tion  of  its  roads,  off  the  public  lands  along  its  line,  and 
then  to  receive  ten  sections  of  land  to  the  mile,  wher 
ever  they  can  find  that  amount  within  twenty  miles 
of  the  line  they  may  see  fit  to  locate,  and  from  Mobile, 
onward  to  the  western  boundary  of  Louisiana ;  if  the 
land  cannot  be  found  within  twenty  miles  of  the  road, 
these  patriotic  gentlemen  are  to  be  obliged  to  hunt  it 
up  within  forty  miles  north  of  their  line.  As  this  is 
the  first  attempt  on  the  part  of  a  Southern  Senator  to 

13 


194  THE    SIGHTS   AND   SECRETS 

follow  in  the  paths  already  worn  so  smooth  by  his  fel 
low  Republicans  from  the  North,  it  will  be  interesting 
to  see  what  a  fine  start  Senator  Spencer,  of  Alabama, 
makes.  Section  second  of  his  bill  is  in  part  as  fol 
lows  : 

''  '  SEO.  2.  And  be  it  further  enacted,  That,  for  the 
purpose  of  aiding  in  the  construction  of  the  railroad 
of  said  company,  there  be,  arid  is  hereby  granted  to 
said  company,  from  the  public  lands  of  the  United 
States,  ten  sections  of  land  for  each  mile  of  railroad 
completed  and  placed  in  running  order  by  said  com 
pany,  pursuant  to  its  charter.  That  said  lands  are 
granted  as  follows :  On  the  line  of  said  railroad  from 
the  city  of  Chattanooga,  in  the  State  of  Tennessee,  to 
the  city  of  Mobile,  in  the  State  of  Alabama,  every 
alternate  section  of  public  land  designated  by  odd 
numbers,  to  the  amount  of  ten  alternate  sections  per 
mile,  for  each  mile  of  said  railroad  from  the  said  city  of 
Chattanooga  to  the  said  city  of  Mobile,  such  alternate 
section  of  land  to  be  selected  within  the  limits  of  ten 
miles  on  each  side  of  the  centre  line  of  said  railroad ; 
and  if  public  lands  sufficient  for  the  purpose  shall  not 
be  found  within  said  limit  of  ten  miles  upon  each  side 
of  said  railroad,  then  the  said  alternate  sections  of 
land  are  hereby  granted,  and  may  be  selected  within 
the  limits  of  twenty  miles  on  each  side  of  the  centre 
line  of  said  railroad.  And  on  the  line  of  said  railroad 
from  the  city  of  Mobile,  in  the  State  of  Alabama,  to 
the  western  boundary  of  the  State  of  Louisiana,  every 
alternate  section  of  public  land,  designated  by  odd 
numbers,  to  the  amount  of  ten  alternate  sections  per 


OP   THE   NATIONAL   CAPITAL.  195 

mile  for  each  mile  of  said  railroad,  from  the  said  city 
of  Mobile  to  the  western  boundary  of  the  State  of 
Louisiana,  such  alternate  section  of  land  to  be  selected 
fdthin  the  limits  of  ten  miles  upon  each  side  of  the 
centre  line  of  said  railroad ;  and  if  public  lands  suffi 
cient  for  the  purpose  shall  not  be  found  within  said 
limits  of  ten  miles  upon  each  side  of  said  railroad, 
then  the  said  alternate  sections  of  land  are  hereby 
granted,  and  may  be  selected  within  the  limits  of  forty 
miles  north  of  the  centre  line  of  said  railroad,  ex 
cepting,  however,  from  this  grant,  all  mineral  lands, 
and  lands  sold  by  the  United  States,  or  lands  in  which 
a  preemption  or  homestead  claim  may  have  attached 
at  the  time  the  line  of  said  railroad  shall  have  been 
located  and  established.' 

"  What  will  the  railroad  docket  of  the  Senate  not 
contain  by  the  time  the  Southerners  have  brought  up 
their  side  of  the  railroad  jobs  to  the  present  proud 
height  of  their  Northern  friends,  and  shall  have  added 
to  the  Washington  lobby,  its  own  army  of  blood-suck 
ers,  plausible  gentlemen  of  unquestioned  honor,  and 
thieves  ? — for  it  takes  all  these,  and  more,  to  make  a 
lobby.  What  a  nice  thing  it  will  be  for  taxpayers ! 

"  All  this  presents  the  railroad  interest  merely  in 
outline.  Every  bill  deserves  a  separate  letter  to  show 
the  means  used  to  get  it  before  the  Senate,  the  persona 
engaged-in  pressing  it,  and  the  parties  to  be  benefited 
by  it;  and  in  due  time  the  principal  ones  at  least  will 
get  that  chapter. 

"  When  the  railroad  jobs  are  disposed  of,  then  the 
deck  is  only  cleared  for  action  against  jobs  in  general. 


196  THE    SIGHTS    AND    SECRETS 

There  are,  aside  from  these,  the  Niagara  Ship  Canal 
with  a  coupon  of  twelve  millions  attached ;  the  Com 
mercial  Navigation  Company,  with  half  as  much  on 
its  coupon ;  the  bills  and  schemes  for  getting  damages 
paid  to  Southern  men  for  property  destroyed  during 
the  war,  in  all  hundreds  of  millions;  and  then  the 
lobby  upon  the  more  modest  sum  of  five  millions  due 
from  Southern  railroads,  and  in  which  radical  Repub 
licans  from  Tennessee  are  deeply  interested.  The 
Osage  Treaty  is  a  nice  plum  ;  and  one  new  feature  is, 
that  some  Kansas  men  who  showed  a  vast  amount  of 
righteous  indignation  over  it,  before  their  reelection, 
are,  now  that  their  places  are  assured,  helping  the 
swindle  on.  Alta  Veta  is  coming  up  again,  and  to 
crown  all  things,  if  it  is  possible,  the  change  in  the 
Indian  Bureau  is  to  be  so  managed  as  to  place  the 
present  Indian  ring  on  a  firmer  foundation  than  ever. 

"The  Republican  party  can  now  afford  to  rectify 
the  irregularities  which  have  crept  into  all  portions  of 
the  Government  while  the  great  political  battle  with 
Rebellion  was  going  on.  If  those  here,  as  its  Congress, 
will  not  free  themselves  from  such  things,  the  party 
need  not  die  if  it  only  throws  them  overboard.  There 
are  honest  men  enough  who  can  take  their  places. 
Let  the  press  watch  jobs  when  the  recess  closes  and 
the  outside  lobby,  which  is  here  in  force,  begins  to 
work  through  its  Senators  and  Representatives." 

Commenting  upon  the  same  subject,  the  New  York 
Herald  said,  editorially : 

"The  corruptions  which  have  grown  up  in  the 
national  government,  from  the  general  demoralizations 


OP   THE   NATIONAL    CAPITAL.  197 

of  our  late  civil  war,  are  fearful  to  contemplate.  One 
hundred  millions  a  year  lost  to  the  Treasury  from  the 
spoliations  of  the  whiskey  rings  'beats  out  of  sight 
any  thing  in  the  line  of  whiskey  frauds  under  any  other 
government  on  the  face  of  the  globe ;  but  on  a  cor 
responding  scale  with  their  field  of  operations,  the 
Indian  rings,  the  Post-Office  and  Interior  Department 
rings,  the  tobacco  rings,  the  frontier  smuggling  rings, 
and  various  other  rings,  insiders  and  outsiders,  jobbers, 
contractors,  government  officials  and  private  specula 
tors,  are  pretty  well  up  to  the  percentage  of  the  enor 
mous  stealings  of  the  whiskey  rings.  The  latest  devel 
opments,  however,  show,  that  in  the  grandeur  and 
number  of  their  schemes  of  spoils  and  plunder  the 
Congressional  rings  of  railroad  jobbers  throw  into  the 
shade  all  the  other  rings  of  the  lengthy  catalogue  of 
confederate  Treasury  robbers. 

"  A  "Washington  correspondent,  who  has  been  look 
ing  into  the  the  business  reports  that  one  hundred  and 
fifty-nine  railroad  bills  and  resolutions  have  been  intro 
duced  in  the  Fortieth  Congress  (the  term  of  which 
expires  on  the  4th  March  next,  with  that  of  President 
Johnson),  and  that  twice  as  many  more  are  in  prep 
aration  in  the  lobby ;  that  one  thousand  millions  of 
acres  of  the  public  lands,  and  two  hundred  millions 
in  United  States  bonds,  would  not  supply  the  demands 
of  these  cormorants.  In  other  words,  their  stupen 
dous  budget  of  railway  jobs  would  require  sops  and 
subsidies  in  lands  and  bonds,  which,  reduced  to  a 
money  valuation,  swell  up  to  the  magnificent  figure  of 
half  the  national  debt. 


198  THE    SIGHTS   AND    SECRETS 

"Among  the  jobs  of  this  schedule  is  the  Atchison 
and  Pike's  Peak  Railroad  Company,  or  Union  Pacific 
Central  Branch,  which,  after  having  received  govern- 
ment  sops  to  the  extent  of  six  millions,  puts  in  for 
seven  millions  more.  Next  comes  the  Denver  Pacific 
Railway  and  Telegraph  Company,  which,  having 
feathered  its  nest  to  the  figure  of  thirty-two  millions, 
puts  in  for  a  little  more ;  and  this  company  is  reported 
to  be  a  mere  gang  of  speculators,  '  without  any  known, 
legal  organization  whatever ' — a  lot  of  mythical  John. 
DOHS  and  Richard  Roes,  who  cannot  be  found  when 
called  for.  Next  we  have  the  Leavenworth,  Pawnee 
and  Western  Railroad  Company,  now  known  as  the 
Union  Pacific,  Eastern  Division,  chartered  by  the 
Kansas  Territorial  Legislature,  in  1855,  subsidized  with 
Delaware  Indian  reserve  lands  in  1861,  and  then  in 
1862,  by  a  rider  on  the  Pacific  Railroad  law,  granted 
sixteen  thousand  dollars  per  mile  in  United  States 
bonds,  and  every  alternate  section  of  land  within  cer 
tain  limits,  on  each  side  of  the  road,  and  the  privilege 
of  a  second  mortgage.  This  is  cutting  it  pretty  fat. 
But  it  further  appears  that  a  clique  of  seceders  from 
the  old  company  illegally  formed  a  new  company,  and, 
having  by  force  of  arras  taken  possession  of  the  road, 
are  pocketing  the  spoils  which  legally  belong  to  the 
old  company.  All  this,  too,  with  the  consent  of  the 
President,  the  Secretary  of  the  Treasury,  and  Con 
gress.  Are  they  all  birds  of  a  feather,  that  they  thus 
flock  together  ? 

"  From  another  source  we  learn  that  some  half 
dozen,   other  Pacific  branch  or  main  stem   railroads 


OF   THE   NATIONAL   CAPITAL.  199 

Northern  and  Southern,  are  on  the  anvil,  involving 
lands  and  bonds  by  tens  and  twenties  and  hundreds  of 
millions ;  that  of  all  these  schemes  fully  three-fourths 
come  from  the  Republicans  in  both  Houses ;  that 
Senator  Pomeroy,  of  Kansas,  has  seven  of  these  jobs 
on  the  docket ;  Senator  Ramsey,  of  Minnesota,  four ; 
Senator  Conness,  of  California,  five,  and  Senator  Har- 
lan,  of  Iowa,  four.  Senator  Pomeroy,  however,  dis 
tances  all  competitors  in  the  number  and  extent  of  his 
jobs  ;  for,  as  it  appeal's,  they  include  a  line  from  Kan 
sas  to  Mexico,  three  bills  for  roads  from  Fort  Scott  to 
Santa  F6,  in  Texas,  a  South  Carolina  line  through  the 
Sea  Island  cotton  section,  two  or  three  lines  from  the 
Mississippi  River  through  to  Texas,  and  '  a  little  pri 
vate  Atchison  Pacific,  one  of  the  nicest  and  fattest 
speculations  ever  worked  through.' 

"  Is  not  this  a  magnificent  budget,  and  is  not  the 
audacity  of  these  railroad  jobs  and  jobbers  positively 
sublime?  Some  of  these  schemes  are  in  successful 
operation,  but  many  of  them  are  still  in  the  caterpillar, 
or  chrysalis,  state,  and  there  is  a  prospect  that  very 
few  of  this  class  will  come  out  as  the  full-blown  but 
terfly." 

THE   RESULT. 

How  many  people  in  the  United  States  believe  that 
the  schemes  for  which  Government  aid  is  asked  are 
really  worthy  of  assistance,  or  will  be  faithfully  carried 
out  ?  It  is  said  that  the  railroads  to  which  Govern 
ment  aid  has  been  vouchsafed  so  liberally,  are  badly 
constructed,  that  the  contracts  on  the  part  of  the  com 
panies  have  not  been  faithfully  carried  out,  and  that 


200  THH   SIGHTS    AND    SECRETS 

the  public  grants  have  been  used  only  to  enrich  the 
stockholders.  Yet  in  spite  of  this,  in  spite  of  all  the 
lessons  of  the  past,  Congress  continues  to  squander  the 
public  wealth  as  recklessly  as  if  it  had  full  faith  in  the 
honesty  of  the  men  it  enriches.  The  people  are  groan 
ing  under  the  burdens  thus  imposed  upon  them,  and 
are  uttering  murmurs  of  no  uncertain  character.  Mr. 
Washburne,  of  Illinois,  in  a  speech  recently  delivered 
in  Congress,  uttered  this  indignant  protest  against  the 
madness  of  his  colleagues : 

"  With  the  unreconstructed  States  admitted  into 
the  Union,  with  full  and  equal  protection  for  all  men 
in  all  the  States,  and  with  MANHOOD  SUFFRAGE  secured 
by  legislation  or  constitutional  amendment,  the  minds 
of  the  people  will  turn  to  questions  of  finance,  of  taxes, 
of  economy,  of  decreased  expenditures,  and  honest  and 
enlightened  legislation,  to  questions  of  tariffs,  and  to 
questions  of  railroad,  telegraph,  and  express  monopo 
lies,  which  are  sucking  the  very  life-blood  of  the  peo 
ple,  to  the  administration  of  the  revenue  laws  and  to 
the  robberies  and  plunderings  of  the  Treasury  by  dis 
honest  office-holders.  Already  the  eyes  of  the  people 
of  this  country  are  upon  Congress.  I  may  say  they 
are  upon  the  Republican  majority  in  Congress,  for  that 
majority  is  now  responsible  before  the  country  for  the 
legislation  of  Congress.  It  can  make  and  unmake  laws 
in  defiance  and  contempt  of  Executive  vetoes.  The 
Republican  party  triumphed  in  the  last  election  be 
cause  it  was  pledged  to  honesty  and  economy,  to  the 
upholding  of  public  faith  and  public  credit,  and  to  the 


OF   THE   NATIONAL    CAPITAL.  201 

faithful  execution  of  the  laws.  And  those  pledges 
cannot  now  be  ignored  without  subjecting  that  party 
to  the  censure  of  the  people.  The  condition  of  the 
country,  the  vast  public  debt,  the  weight  of  taxation^ 
the  depreciated  and  fluctuating  currency,  the  enormous 
expenditures  of  public  money,  the  mal-ad ministration 
of  the  Government,  the  extortions  of  monopolies,  press 
upon  our  attention  with  most  crushing  force.  The 
people  elected  General  Grant  to  the  Presidency  not 
only  on  account  of  the  great  and  inestimable  services 
he  has  rendered  the  country  in  subduing  the  rebellion  • 
not  only  on  account  of  his  devotion  to  the  great  prin 
ciples  of  the  Republican  party,  but  because  they  be 
lieve  him  to  be  emphatically  an  honest  man  and  an 
enlightened  statesman,  who  would  faithfully  administer 
the  laws,  without  fear,  favor,  or  affection.  The  time 
has  come  when  we  are  imperatively  called  upon  to 
take  a  new  departure.  Added  to  other  terrible  evils 
brought  upon  the  country  by  the  war  for  the  suppres 
sion  of  the  rebellion,  is  the  demoralization  incident  to 
all  great  wars,  and  to  the  expenditures  of  vast  and  un 
heard  of  amounts  of  public  money  ;  to  the  giving  out 
of  immense  contracts  by  which  sudden  and  vast  for 
tunes  were  made,  the  inflation  of  the  currency,  which 
engendered  speculation,  profligacy,  extravagance  and 
corruption,  by  the  intense  desire  to  get  suddenly  rich 
out  of  the  Government  and  without  labor,  and  the  in 
ventions  and  schemes  generally  to  get  money  out  of  the 
Treasury  for  the  benefit  of  individuals  without  regard 
to  the  interests  of  the  Government.  While  the  rest 
less  and  unpausing  energies  of  a  patriotic  and  incorrup- 


202  THE  SIGHTS  AND  SECRETS 

tible  people  were  devoted  to  the  salvation  of  their 
Government,  and  were  pouring  out  their  blood  and 
treasure  in  its  defence,  there  was  the  vast  arm}7  of  the 
base,  the  v.enal  and  unpatriotic,  who  rushed  in  to  take 
advantage  of  the  misfortunes  of  the  country  and  to 
plunder  its  treasury.  The  statute-books  are  loaded 
with  legislation  which  will  impose  burdens  on  future 
generations.  Public  land  enough  to  make  empires  has 
been  voted  to  private  railroad  corporations  ;  subsidies 
of  untold  millions  of  bonds,  for  the  same  purposes, 
have  become  a  charge  upon -the  people,  while  the  fet> 
ters  of  vast  monopolies  have  been  fastened  still  closer 
and  closer  upon  the  public.  It  is  time  that  the  repre 
sentatives  of  the  people  were  admonished  that  they 
are  the  servants  of  the  people  and  are  paid  by  the 
people  ;  that  their  constituents  have  confided  to  them 
the  great  trust  of  guarding  their  rights  and  protecting 
their  interests ;  that  their  position  and  their  power 
are  to  be  used  for  the  benefit  of  the  people  whom  they 
represent,  and  not  for  their  own  benefit  and  the  beue- 
fit  of  the  lobbyists,  the  gamblers,  and  the  speculators 
who  have  come  to  Washington  to  make  a  raid  upon 
the  Treasury." 

Yet  what  do  such  appeals  and  protests  accomplish 
after  all  ?  Congress  is  deaf  to  all  the  demands  of  the 
people.  Members  should  remember  that  their  official 
lives  are  in  the  hands  of  their  constituents,  who  desire 
honesty  as  much  as  talent,  and  that  their  persistence  in 
their  extravagant  schemes  is  regarded,  by  those  who 
can  make  or  unmake  them,  as  strong  proof  of  the 
charges  affecting  their  integrity  as  men. 


LOBBY   MEMUEBa. 


O*  THE   NATIONAL   CAPITAL,  203 


VL 

THE  RINGS. 

THE  organizations  formed  for  the  purpose  of  de 
frauding  the  Government  of  the  revenue  which  a  faith 
ful  execution  of  the  law  would  bring  to  it,  are  termed 
"  Kings."  They  consist  generally  of  the  manufacturers 
or  importers  of  articles  upon  which  revenue  taxes  are 
levied,  and  the  officials  whose  duty  it  is  to  collect  such 
taxes.  A  false  return  is  made  to  the  Government  with 
the  full  knowledge  of  the  official,  and  the  greater  part 
of  the  taxable  article  is  sold,  without  the  tax,  at  a 
heavy  profit  to  the  manufacturer.  The  official  is  well 
paid  for  his  services,  and  the  Government  is  swindled 
of  its  just  dues. 

One  of  the  most  formidable  of  these  organizations 
is  known  as 

THE    WHISKEY   RING. 

Its  heaviest  operations  are  carried  on  in  the  great  citiea 
of  the  Union,  but  its  branches  are  to  be  found  where- 
ever  there  is  a  distillery. 

In  1863,  the  tax  on  distilled  liquors  was  twenty 
cents  per  gallon;  in  1864  the  tax  was,  after  March 
7th,  sixty  cents  per  gallon  ;  from  July,  1S64,  until 
June,  1865,  one  dollar  and  fifty  cents  per  gallon ;  and 
after  June  1st,  1865,  two  dollars  per  gallon,  which  is 
the  present  rate.  In  1863,  with  a  tax  of  sixty  cents, 


204  THE    SIGHTS    AND    SECB£TS 

*  / 

the  revenue  from  liquors  was  $28,431,797.83;  but  in 
1866,  with  a  tax  of  $2.00,  it  fell  off  to  $15,995,701.66. 
This  was  not  because  there  was  less  whiskey  made  and 
consumed  during  the  latter  year,  but  because  the  Whis 
key  Ring  had  been  actively  at  work,  and  had  evaded 
the  tax  upon  all  possible  occasions.  During  the  session 
of  1866-67  the  public  press  made  such  an  outcry  over 
these  frauds,  that  Congress  enacted  a  law  making  the 
sale  of  whiskey  for  less  than  $2.00  per  gallon,  prima 
facie  evidence  of  an  evasion  of  the  tax,  and  ordering 
the  instant  seizure  of  such  whiskey,  as  illicit.  This 
excellent  provision,  however,  was  nullified  by  another 
clause  which  provided  that,  in  case  of  seizure  and  for 
feiture  of  illicit  whiskey,  it  should  be  destroyed  unless 
it  would  bring  at  the  Marshal's  sale  at  least  two  dollars 
per  gallon.  So  much  for  the  law. 

Its  passage  had  no  effect  whatsoever.  Western  grain 
whiskey  continued  to  sell  in  New  York  for  from  $1.40 
to  $1.70.  This  was  done  openly,  and  with  the  full 
knowledge  of  the  Government  officials  whose  duty  it 
was  to  seize  and  forfeit  all  whiskey  offered  for  sale  in 
the  market  for  less  than  $2. 00  per  gallon.  For  more  than 
two  years  these  frauds  have  been  carried  on,  and 
whiskey  may  be  bought  anywhere  for  less  than  the 
excise  duty  imposed  by  the  law.  Not  one  cent  of  tax 
is  paid  on  this  liquor,  and  millions  of  dollars  are  thus 
annually  lost  to  the  Government.  The  Revenue  officers 
in  many,  if  not  in  most  cases,  are  aware  of  this,  but 
are  iL  the  pay  of  the  whiskey  capitalists,  whose  im 
mense  wealth  and  influence  are  exerted  for  the  purpose 
of  swindling  the  Government. 


OF   THE   NATIONAL   CAPITAL.  205 

A  recent  report  made  to  the  House  of  Represen 
tatives  enumerates  as  follows  some  of  the  most  popular 
methods  of  evading  the  law : 

"FRAUDS  BY  GAUGERS. 

"  The  recent  act  of  Congress  required  that  taxes 
should  be  paid  on  all  whiskey  then  in  bond  before  re 
moval.  Great  frauds  are  committed  through  gangers. 
To  illustrate :  One  hundred  barrels  of  whiskey  were 
inspected  a  few  days  ago  by  Government  gangers.  An 
honest  Revenue  officer,  suspecting  something  wrong, 
called  in  a  city  gauger,  who,  on  inspection,  found  it  had 
been  gauged  1,000  gallons  short,  thereby  defrauding 
the  Government  of  $500.  When  it  is  remembered 
there  were  nearly  20,000  barrels  in  one  district,  and  in 
July  last  nearly  700,000  in  the  country,  the  loss  to  the 
Revenue  must  be  enormous." 

"FRAUDS  BY  DISTILLERS  AND  STOREKEEPERS. 

"Unfortunately,  there  is  always  some  defect  in 
legislation  or  oversight  in  the  regulations  of  the  de 
partment  which  give  the  dishonest  operator  an  advan 
tage.  In  the  case  of  estimated  capacity  the  act  is  so 
loosely  drawn  that  one  of  the  most  essential  elements 
is  left  to  the  determination  of  the  distiller,  and  the 
expert  in  fixing  the  estimate  is  compelled  to  fix  the 
time  of  fermentation  as  given  by  the  distiller.  Con 
sequently,  distillers  in  New  York  fix  the  period  at  48 
hours ;  in  Virginia  at  96  and  120.  In  New  York  tho 
time  is  fixed  at  48  hours,  the  act  requires  the  tub  to 
stand  empty  24  hours  after  every  fermentation,  making 


206  THE   SIGHTS    AND    SECRETS 

the  time  for  each  fermentation  *72  hours.  When  it  is 
notorious  that  some  distillers  do  not  let  the  tubs  stand 
empty  24  hours,  most  ferment  in  less  than  48  hours — 
from  24  to  36  ;  the  result  is  that  distillers  generally 
produce  from  one-quarter  to  one-third  more  than  esti 
mated  capacity  ;  and  the  fact  that  none  of  the  distillers 
return  more  than  the  estimated  capacity,  clearly  shows 
that  the  distillers  defraud  and  the  officers  connive  at  it. 
Besides,  the  estimated  capacity,  reduced  as  it  is  by  the 
time  of  fermentation,  is  only  charged  to  the  distiller  at 
80  per  cent,  so  that  he  gains  in  the  underestimate  of 
capacity  and  the  20  per  cent  discount. 

"  No  further  proof  is  needed  of  the  existence  of 
fraud  ;  if  so,  it  is  found  in  the  fact  that  the  price  of 
whiskey  has  ruled  below  the  cost  of  production  and 
the  legitimate  tax. 

"  There  is  now  but  little  illicit  distillation  ;  most  of 
that  was  from  molasses,  which  cannot  be  manufactured 
at  the  present  market  value  of  whiskey." 

"FRAUDS  THROUGH  COMPOUNDING  HOUSES. 

"  Rectifying  establishments  were  found  easy  aids  to 
fraud,  and  the  present  law  provides  that  none  shall  be 
used  within  600  feet  of  a  distillery  ;  some  distillers,  not 
to  be  restrained  by  so  plain  a  provision  of  the  act,  re 
sorted  to  the  expedient  of  evasion  by  substituting  com 
pounding  houses,  a  branch  of  business  carried  on  to  a 
moderate  extent,  not  necessary  to  adjoin  a  distillery. 
The  business  is  merely  compounding  some  articles  with 
raw  whiskey,  thereby  giving  it  a  different  character 
and  greater  value,  which,  under  the  previous  law,  was 


OP  THE   NATIONAL   CAPITAL.  207 

classed  with  and  known  as  rectifying,  but,  under  the 
last,  by  a  remarkable  coincidence,  almost  too  remark 
able  to  be  an  accident,  compounding  shops  are  made  a 
distinct  class,  and  separated  entirely  from  rectifying. 
It  seems  as  if  Congress,  while  removing  rectifying 
houses,  took  especial  pains  to  make  another  class  of 
houses  not  prohibited,  which  are  as  easy  adjuncts  for 
fraud  as  the  class  they  proscribed.  Many  Eevenue 
officers  were  examined,  and  all  concur  in  the  opinion 
above  expressed,  as  to  the  character  of  compounding 
houses,  with  the  remarkable  exception  of  the  collector 
and  deputy-collector  of  one  of  the  New  York  Districts, 
who  consider  them  entirely  harmless,  and  without  the 
power  to  defraud.  The  significance  of  this  exceptional 
evidence  will  appear  hereafter." 

HOW   THE    GOVEENMENT   AIDS    THE    EING. 

Efforts  are  made  to  discover  and  bring  to  justice 
the  perpetrators  of  these  swindles,  but  they  accomplish 
nothing.  Complaints  are  made  to  the  Treasury  De 
partment,  and  investigations  are  ordered,  but  nothing 
is  done  to  check  the  evil.  A  Revenue  officer  dares  not 
do  his  duty,  in  nine  cases  out  of  ten,  because  the 
"Ring  "will  procure  his  dismissal  from  his  place  for 
such  display  of  honesty.  Further  than  this,  the 
"  Ring  "  in  some  way  manage  to  secure  the  appoint 
ment  of  officials  who  will  aid  them  in  their  infamous 
schemes.  The  newspaper  press  of  the  whole  laud 
teems  with  instances  of  whiskey  frauds,  and  the  names 
of  the  guilty  parties  are  often  freely  published,  but 
still  no  ope  is  brought  to  justice,  and  the  frauds  go  on. 


208  THE   SIGHTS   AND    SECRETS 

A  prominent  journal  thus  describes  the  state  of  affairs 
in  the  city  of  New  Orleans : 

"  A  gentleman  who  has  just  arrived  in  this  cit^ 
from  New  Orleans,  and  who,  during  his  visit  at  that 
city,  took  particular  pains  to  inquire  into  matters  in 
connection  with  the  collection  of  the  revenue,  reports 
the  most  appalling  corruptions  in  all  branches  of  that 
service.  He  says  that,  with  but  two  or  three  excep 
tions,  thieves  and  plunderers  have,  from  the  first,  been 
in  office  in  Louisiana,  and  that  their  subordinates  have 
been  sufficiently  in-  collusion  with  them  to  enable  them 
to  carry  out  their  schemes  and  robbery ;  that  officers 
of  different  districts  have  been  leagued  together  in  per. 
petrating  and  covering  up  the  immense  cotton  frauds 
amounting  to  millions.  He  says  that  there  were  over 
forty  licensed  distilleries  running  in  New  Orleans  dur 
ing  the  last  fiscal  year,  and  that  the  Government  did 
not  collect  tax  enough  to  pay  the  salaries  of  the  store 
keepers.  No  distiller  has  ever  yet  been  prosecuted  in 
Louisiana,  to  a  final  conviction.  Bonded  warehouses  for 
liquors  have  been  robbed  of  thousands  of  barrels. 
Warehouses  were  burned  down  where  the  liquors 
had  been  previously  stolen.  Bonds  of  Collectors  have 
been  wholly  worthless,  the  securities  when  accepted 
being  notoriously  insolvent.  Warehouse  bonds  have 
been  largely  of  the  same  character.  He  reports  that 
the  Judge  of  an  important  court  is  openly  denounced 
as  unfaithful  to  his  trust,  and  that  the  U.  S.  District 
Attorney  is  charged  with  being  in  the  "  ring,1'  and  that 
the  defendants  in  certain  wine  lawsuits  soon  to  be  tried 
in  that  city  have  openly  boasted  that  they  have  so 


OF   THE   NATIONAL    CAPITAL.  209 

"  fixed  "  things  that  the  Government  can  never  obtain  a 
verdict  in  the  U.  S.  Court.  The  Secretary  of  the  Treasury 
has  been  advised  by  merchants  of  high  standing  in  New 
Orleans  that  gross  frauds  were  committed  last  winter  and 
spring  in  the  Custom-House,  and  that  Custom-House  of 
ficers  and  Internal  Revenue  officers  have  colluded  tosreth- 

O 

er  in  the  fraudulent  shipments  of  whiskey  ;  that  men 
holding  small  salaried  offices  have  suddenly  become 
rich,  some  buying  plantations  and  valuable  stock,  others 
valuable  city  property,  some  spending  tens  of  thou 
sands  upon  fast  women,  and  others  losing  still  larger 
sums  at  the  gaming-table  and  horse-races,  while  yet 
another,  as  rumor  has  it,  is  enabled  to  pay  $40,000  to 
get  elected  to  a  high  Congressional  post,  filling  certain. 
New  Orleans  offices  from  top  to  bottom  with  the  negro 
leg'slators,  and  paying  them  $3  a  day  for  doing  noth 
ing.  The  gentleman  who  is  here  and  gives  this  infor 
mation,  says  that  all  these  matters  have  been  reported 
over  and  over  again  to  the  Secretary  of  the  Treasury,  and 
the  other  authorities  concerned,  but  that  nothing  has 
been  done  to  stem  the  tide  of  corruption  that  is  sweep 
ing  over  the  whole  of  that  country,  except  to  send  down 
a  mere  boy  from  the  Treasury  Department,  who  writes 
back  to  Washington  telling  of  the  vast  amounts  of 
money  that  he  could  get  if  he  would  only  join  teams 
with  the  revenue  officers." 

Bad  as  the  "  situation  "  is  in  the  Crescent  City,  the 
other  great  cities  of  the  country  do  not  present  a  much 
better  picture  when  compared  with  it. 


210  THE    SIGHTS    AND    SECRETS 

CONGEESS   AND   THE   EING. 

It  is  a  notorious  fact  that  the  excise  laws  are  full 
of  imperfections,  all  of  which  are  in  favor  of  the  Ring, 
and  afford  it  great  protection  and  encouragement  in  its 
efforts  against  the  Government.  Steps  have  been  taken 
to  bring  about  such  changes  as  shall  secure  a  thorough 
and  honest  collection  of  the  revenue.  These  efforts 
meet  with  an  uncompromising  hostility  on  the  part  of 
the  Whiskey  men.  They  are  willing  to  spend  any 
amount  of  money  in  order  to  continue  their  dishonest 
practices,  and  keep  their  agents  in  Washington.  The 
newspapers  of  the  land  do  not  hesitate  to  charge 
Members  of  Congress  with  corrupt  practices  in  con 
nection  with  these  agents.  It  has  been  but  recently 
stated  that  the  failure  of  a  certain  United  States  Sena 
tor  to  secure  his  reelection  during  the  present  winter 
would  be  very  disastrous  to  the  Whiskey  Ring.  Ef 
forts  are  made  in  Congress  to  investigate  the  frauds, 
and  committees  report  that  the  whole  affair  is  very 
simple,  greatly  exaggerated,  and  easily  remedied.  The 
worst  feature  is  that  the  men  who  compose  or  head 
these  committees  are  those  who  are  openly  charged  by 
the  press  with  being  in  the  pay  of  the  "  Ring.'"1  If 
innocent,  these  Members  are  placed  in  false  positions 
by  serving  on  these  committees.  If  guilty,  it  is  not  to 
be  expected  that  they  will  voluntarily  criminate  them 
selves.  It  is  due  to  the  country  that  these  investiga 
ting  committees  should  consist  of  men  who  have  not 
been  so  assailed,  and  whose  integrity  has  not  been  even 
suspected.  There  are  such  men  in  Congress,  and  their 
services  in  this  connection  are  much  needed. 


OF  THE  NATIONAL  CAPITAL.          211 

Yet,  in  spite  of  the  indifference  and  denials  of 
Treasury  officials  and  the  "  whitewashing  reports  "  of 
Congressional  Committees,  the  facts  remain  plain  to  all 
observers.  The  whiskey  frauds  continue.  The  wbis 
key  men  grow  rich.  The  revenue  from  whiskey  ia 
known  to  be  out  of  proportion  to  the  activity  in  the 
whiskey  trade,  and  the  Government  is  swindled  out  of 
millions  of  dollars  every  year.  These  facts  need  no 
comment.  Every  intelligent  man  will  form  his  own 
opinion  with  reference  to  them.  The  prevailing 
sentiment  throughout  the  country  is  that  this  branch 
of  the  Revenue  Service  is  rotten  to  the  core,  and 
that  those  in  power  do  not  desire  a  fair  investigation 
of  it. 

AN   HONEST   INSPECTOR  VS.   THE  RING. 

A  New  York  Detective  relates  the  following 
incident,  which  will  show  the  desperate  measures 
resorted  to  by  the  whiskey  men  to  continue  their 
frauds : 

"  Last  winter  was  a  trying  time  for  the  owners  of 
the  distilleries  and  rectifying  houses.  There  were 
three  or  four  special  agents  of  the  Internal  Revenue 
Department  in  New  York,  who  held  special  authority ' 
from  the  Commissioner  of  Internal  Revenue  to  seize 
all  distilled  spirits  and  all  establishments  engaged  in 
the  distillation  or  rectification  of  spirits  suspected  of 
fraud.  The  city  swarmed  with  detectives  and  '  spot 
ters  '  (a  name  given  to  those  employed  by  the  govern 
ment  to  watch  distilleries  and  rectifying  houses),  and 


212  THE   SIGHTS   AND    SECRETS 

no  amount  of  money  or  influence  could  make  the  busl 
ness  of  a  dealer  in  spirits  secure. 

"  The  special  authorization  to  seize,  was  generally 
given  to  men  who  used  the  power  to  extract  money 
from  the  dealers  in  spirits,  or  as  a  menace  to  other  In 
ternal  Revenue  officers.  One  officer,  however,  an  ex 
colonel  of  volunteers,  made  seizure  after  seizure  of  the 
largest  liquor  establishments  in  the  city.  He  pounced 
upon  the  liquor-dealers  unawares,  acted  independently 
of  the  detectives,  or  rather  had  his  own  system  of  gain 
ing  information  independent  of  the  government.  It 
was  noticed,  that  he  rarely  seized  without  securing  a 
large  amount  of  spirits,  and  almost  always  made  a 
strong  case  for  the  government.  This  man  the  liquor 
dealers  and  their  lawyers  could  neither  bribe,  intimi 
date,  nor  control,  and  many  consultations  were  held 
by  those  engaged  in  the  fraudulent  manipulation  of 
spirits,  to  mature  a  plan  to  get  rid  of  him.  It  was 
finally  arranged  that  the  owners  of  a  certain  distillery 
in  the  upper  part  of  the  city,  then  in  charge  of  the 
United  States  Marshal,  should  get  authority  from  a 
Deputy  Commissioner  of  Internal  Revenue  to  keep  up 
steam  in  their  premises.  Keepers  in  the  interest  of 
the  distillers  were  put  in  charge  of  the  premises. 
Some  of  the  worst  characters  known  to  the  police  were 
chosen  for  the  business,  with  orders  to  attack  the  ex- 
colonel  of  volunteers,  should  he  attempt  to  force  an 
entrance.  In  this  way  a  very  troublesome  officer 
would  be  disposed  of,  while  it  was  hoped  that  the 
death  or  maiming  of  the  Colonel  would  intimidate 
others. 


OF   TfiE   NATIONAL    CAPITAL.  213 

"  A  detective  was  bribed  to  report  the  case  to  the 
Colonel,  and  to  offer  to  accoirpany  him,  in  order  to 
conduct  him  into  the  premises  by  a  back  entrance,  near 
which  the  cut-throats  in  pay  of  the  distillers  would  be 
in  waiting.  I  went  to  the  Colonel's  house  when  I  had 
sufficient  evidence  of  the  plot  to  warrant  me  in  dis 
closing  it,  to  warn  him  of  his  danger,  but  he  was 
reported  to  me  as  dining  with  a  friend  and  engaged  to 
return  to  his  house  at  ten  o'clock  p.  M.  I  called  again 
at  this  hour  and  waited  until  after  eleven  for  his  re 
turn.  Fearing  that  the  Colonel  would  make  the 
seizure  without  returning  to  his  home,  I  went  to  his 
office,  hoping  that  he  had  made  it  a  place  of  rendez 
vous  for  his  men  before  starting  on  his  expedition, 
upon  which,  by  this  time,  I  felt  certain  that  he  was 
bent.  When  I  arrived  at  the  office  and  had  aroused 
the  watchman  in  charge,  I  was  informed  that  the 
Colonel  had  started  only  a  few  minutes  before,  with 
three  or  four  men,  and  that  he  had  taken  a  'jimmy' 
and  other  tools  to  force  an  entrance.  It  seemed  to  me 
that  the,  best  thing  to  do  was  to  go  to  the  nearest 
police  precinct,  take  three  or  four  policemen,  and  re 
pair  at  once  to  the  distillery.  I  knew  the  revenue 
officials  were  about  to  seize,  and  if  I  could  not  get 
there  in  time  to  save  the  government  officers,  at  least 
I  could  arrest  the  assassins.  When  I  arrived  near  the 
premises  I  met  some  men  who  said  that  they  were 
revenue  officers,  and  had  just  been  fired  on,  and  that 
some  of  their  comrades  were  there  in  actual  collision 
with  what  I  knew  to  be  a  party  of  assassins.  As  we 
pushed  on  breathless  and  entered  the  back  gate,  I 


214  THE    SIGHTS   AND    SECRETS 

heard  the  expressions,  'Look  out  for  him!' 'Do  you 
see  him  ! '  '  Look  out  for  his  knife  in  his  left  hand  ! ' 
As  I  came  on  the  rear  of  the  scoundrels,  I  could  just 
see  the  Colonel,  who  had  managed  to  get  into  a  dark 
niche  and  held  his  adversaries  at  a  disadvantage,  for 
they  were  huddled  under  a  gaslight.  How  the  Colonel 
had  escaped  assassination  I  don't  know,  but  his  oppo 
nents  were  evidently  bewildered,  and  suddenly  gave 
themselves  up  to  the  police.  I  heard  afterwards  thax 
when  the  revenue  officers  entered,  the  men  in  the 
building  were  playing  a  game  of  poker,  and  thus  a 
fierce  altercation  was  going  on  as  to  the  comparative 
honor  of  the  thieves,  and  when  called  out  to  attack 
the  revenue  officers  blows  were  being  exchanged,  so 
that  when  called  to  confront  the  Colonel,  they  were 
suspicious  of  one  another,  and  at  cross-purposes. 

"This,  together  with  the  Colonel's  coolness,  and 
adroitness  in  keeping  in  the  shade,  undoubtedly  saved 
his  life." 

Besides  the  Whiskey  Ring,  there  are  other  organi 
zations  whose  headquarters  are  in  Washington,  and 
whose  object  is  to  make  money  by  swindling  the  Gov 
ernment  out  of  its  dues.  They  represent  capitalists 
speculating  in  cotton,  tobacco,  and  other  bonded  goods ; 
in  articles  furnished  to  the  Indians  on  the  frontier  by 
the  Government ;  and  in  government  contracts  of  va 
rious  kinds.  They  are  conducted  in  a  manner  similar 
to  that  in  which  the  Whiskey  Ring  is  operated.  The 
Indian  Ring  has  become  so  notoriously  corrupt  that 
General  Grant  and  the  army  officers  have  urged  upon 


OP  THE  NATIONAL  CAPITAL,          215 

Congress  the  duty  of  transferring  it  from  the  De 
partment  of  the  Interior  to  the  Department  of  War 
as  a  means  of  protecting  the  Indians  from  the  outrages 
practised  upon  them  by  the  contractors. 


SI  6  THE   SIGHTS   AND   SECRETS 


VII 

THE  PRESIDENT. 

HAVING  glanced  at  the  Legislative  Department  of 
the  Government,  let  us  now  turn  to  the  Executive. 

The  Constitution  of  the  United  States  requires 
that  "the  Executive  power  shall  be  vested  in  a 
President  of  the  United  States  of  America.  He  shall 
hold  his  office  during  the  term  of  four  years,  and, 
together  with  the  Vice-President,  chosen  for  the  same 
term,  be  elected  as  follows : 

"  Each  State  shall  appoint,  in  such  manner  as  the 
Legislature  thereof  may  direct,  a  number  of  electors, 
equal  to  the  whole  number  of  Senators  and  Repre 
sentatives  to  which  the  State  may  be  entitled  in  Con 
gress;  but  no  Senator,  or  Representative,  or  person 
holding  an  office  of  trust  or  profit  under  the  United 
States,  shall  be  appointed  an  elector.  The  electors 
shall  meet  in  their  respective  States,  and  vote  by  bal 
lot  for  President  and  Vice-President,  one  of  whom,  at 
least,  shall  not  be  an  inhabitant  of  the  same  State  with 
themselves;  they  shall  name  in  their  ballots  the  per 
son  voted  for  as  President,  and  in  distinct  ballots  the 
person  voted  for  as  Vice-President ;  and  they  shall 
make  distinct  lists  of  all  persons  voted  for  as  Pres 
ident,  and  all  persons  voted  for  as  Vice-President,  and 
of  the  number  of  votes  for  each,  which  lists  they  shall 


OP  THE  NATIONAL   CAPITAL.  217 

sign  and  certify,  and  transmit,  sealed,  to  the  seat  of  the 
Government  of  the  United  States,  directed  to  the 
President  of  the  Senate.  The  President  of  the  Senate 
shall,  in  the  presence  of  the  Senate  and  House  of  Rep 
resentatives,  open  all  the  certificates,  and  the  votes 
shall  then  be  counted  ;  the  person  having  the  greatest 
number  of  votes  for  President  shall  be  the  President, 
if  such  number  be  a  majority  of  the  whole  number  of 
electors  appointed  ;  and  if  no  person  have  such  ma 
jority,  then,  from  the  persons  having  the  highest  num 
bers,  not  exceeding  three,  on  the  list  of  those  voted 
for  as  President,  the  House  of  Representatives  shall 
choose  immediately,  by  ballot,  the  President.  But  in 
choosing  the  President,  the  votes  shall  be  taken  by 
States,  the  representation  from  each  State  having  one 
vote ;  a  quorum  for  this  purpose,  to  consist  of  a  mem 
ber  or  members  from  two-thirds  of  the  States,  and  a 
majority  of  all  the  States  shall  be  necessary  to  a  choice ; 
and  if  the  House  of  Representatives  shall  not  choose  a 
President,  whenever  the  right  of  choice  shall  devolve 
upon  them,  before  the  fourth  day  of  March  next  fol 
lowing,  then  the  Vice-President,  elected  by  the  Senate 
shall  act  as  President,  as  in  the  case  of  the  death  or 
other  constitutional  disability  of  the  President.  The 
person  having  the  greatest  number  of  votes  as  Vice- 
President  shall  be  the  Vice-President,  if  such  number 
be  a  majority  of  the  whole  number  of  electors  ap 
pointed  ;  and  if  no  person  have  a  majority,  then,  from 
the  two  highest  numbers  on  the  list,  the  Senate  shall 
choose  the  Vice-President ;  a  quorum  for  the  purpose 
shall  consist  of  two-thirds  of  the  whole  number  of  Sen- 


218  THE  SIGHTS  AND  SECRETS 

ators,  and  a  majority  of  the  whole  number  shall  be 
necessary  to  a  choice.  But  no  person  constitutionally 
ineligible  to  the  office  of  President  shall  be  eligible  to 
that  of  Vice-President  of  the  United  States. 

"  The  Congress  may  determine  the  time  of  choos 
ing  the  electors,  and  the  day  on  which  they  shall  give 
their  votes,  which  day  shall  be  the  same  throughout 
the  United  States. 

"  No  person  except  a  natural-born  citizen,  or  a  cit 
izen  of  the  United  States  at  the  time  of  the  adoption 
of  this  Constitution,  shall  be  eligible  to  the  office  of 
President ;  neither  shall  any  person  be  eligible  to  that 
office  who  shall  not  have  attained  to  the  age  of  thirty- 
five  years,  and  been  fourteen  years  a  resident  within 
the  United  States. 

"  In  case  of  the  removal  of  the  President  from 
office,  or  of  his  death,  resignation,  or  inability  to  dis 
charge  the  powers  and  duties  of  the  said  office,  the 
same  shall  devolve  on  the  Vice-President,  and  the  Con 
gress  may  by  law  provide  for  the  case  of  removal,  death, 
resignation,  or  inability,  both  of  the  President  and  Vice- 
President,  declaring  what  officer  shall  then  act  as 
President,  and  such  officer  shall  act  accordingly,  until 
the  disability  be  removed,  or  a  President  shall  be 
elected. 

"The  President  shall  at  stated  times  receive  for 
his  services  a  compensation,  which  shall  neither  be  in 
creased  nor  diminished  during  the  period  for  which  he 
shall  have  been  elected,  and  he  shall  not  receive, 
within  that  period,  any  other  emolument  from  the 
United  States,  or  any  of  them. 


OP   THE   NATIONAL    CAPITAL.  219 

"  Before  he  enter  on  the  execution  of  his  office,  he 
shall  take  the  following  Oath  or  Affirmation : 

"  'I  do  solemnly  swear  (or  affirm),  that  I  will  faith 
fully  execute  the  office  of  President  of  the  United 
States,  and  will,  to  the  best  of  my  ability,  preserve, 
protect,  and  defend  the  Constitution  of  the  United 
States;" 

The  President  is,  by  virtue  of  his  office,  Con> 
mander-in-Chief  of  the  Army  and  Navy,  and  of  the 
Militia  of  the  several  States,  when  in  the  active  ser 
vice  of  the  United  States.  He  has  the  power  to  par 
don  and  grant  reprieves,  except  in  cases  of  impeach 
ment.  He  appoints  all  officials  of  the  Government, 
and,  constitutionally,  has  the  power  to  remove  them 
when  he  deems  it  his  duty  to  do  so.  He  negotiates 
treaties  with  foreign  Powers,  and  conducts  the  official 
intercourse  of  this  Government  with  them.  He  exe 
cutes,  or  causes  to  be  executed,  the  laws  of  Congress, 
and  from  time  to  time  lays  before  that  body  such 
information  as  he  deems  proper,  respecting  the  state 
of  the  country,  and  recommends  such  measures  as  he 
judges  necessary  and  expedient. 

THE   INAUGURATION. 

The  President  enters  upon  his  duties  on  the  fourth 
of  March  next  following  his  election  by  the  people. 
The  Constitution  merely  requires  him  to  take  the  oath 
already  given,  but  does  not  prescribe  the  hour,  place, 
or  manner  of  taking  it,  and  there  is  no  law  of  Con 
gress  regulating  the  inaugural  ceremonies.  The  oath 
of  office  could  be  legally  administered  by  any  rnagig* 


220  THE    SIGHTS    AND    SECftETS 

trate,  but  it  is  usual  for  the  Chief-Justice  of  the  United 
States  to  act  upon  such  occasions. 

Owing  to  the  absence  of  any  set  form  for  the  inau 
gural  ceremonies,  different  customs  have  prevailed  at 
different  times.  A  review  of  these  will  be  entertaining. 

George  Washington  was  first  inaugurated  President 
in  New  York  City,  on  the  1st  of  May,  1789.  He  was 
escorted  from  his  residence  in  Broad  Street  to  the  City 
Hall,  which  occupied  the  site  of  the  present  U.  S.  Sub- 
Treasury,  where  Chancellor  Livingston  administered 
the  oath  of  office  to  him  in  the  presence  of  the  people. 
In  1793,  he  entered  upon  his  second  term  by  taking 
the  oath  in  the  Senate  Chamber,  in  the  presence  of  the 
two  Houses  of  Congress  and  other  dignitaries.  John 
Adams  was  inaugurated  in  1797,  by  taking  the  oath, 
of  office  in  the  House  of  Representatives,  at  noon  on 
the  4th  of  March.  He  delivered  an  inaugural  address 
from  the  Speaker's  Chair,  before  taking  the  oath. 

Thomas  Jefferson  was  the  first  President  inaugu 
rated  in  the  City  of  Washington.  He  delivered  an 
inaugural  address,  and  took  the  oath  of  office  in  the 
Senate  Chamber  at  noon  on  the  4th  of  March,  1801. 
He  delivered  no  address  upon  the  occasion  of  his  second 
inauguration,  but  merely  subscribed  to  the  oath  in  the 
presence  of  Chief-Justice  Marslfcall,  and  Judges  Patter 
son,  Gushing,  and  Washington  of  the  Supreme  Court. 
James  Madison  took  the  oath  of  office  and  delivered 
his  inaugural  address  in  the  hall  of  the  House  of  Rep 
resentatives,  on  the  4th  of  March,  1809,  and  on  the 
occasion  of  his  second  inauguration  was  merely  sworn 
in  at  the  Capitol  by  Chief- Justice  Marshall. 


OF   THE   NATIONAL   CAPITAL.  221 

Upon  the  election  of  Mr.  Monroe,  in  1816,  it  was 
resolved  to  make  the  inaugural  ceremonies  more  im 
posing.  On  the  4th  of  March,  1817,  the  Vice-Presi 
dent  was  first  sworn  in,  and  then  Mr.  Monroe  appeared 
on  an  elevated  platform  in  front  of  the  Capitol,  de 
livered  his  inaugural  address,  and  took  the  oath  of 
office,  which  was  administered  by  the  Chief-Justice  in 
the  presence  of  an  immense  multitude.  A  salute  of 
artillery  was  then  fired,  and  the  new  President  retired 
to  the  White  House.  When  reflected,  Mr.  Monroe 
could  not  be  sworn  into  office  on  the  4th  of  March 
(1821),  as  that  day  happened  to  fall  upon  Sunday.  As 
no  legal  oath  can  be  administered  on  Sunday,  the  in 
auguration  was  postponed  until  the  5th,  which  proved 
a  very  tempestuous  day.  Mr.  Monroe  then  simply  took 
the  official  oath  before  Chief-Justice  Marshall.  On 
the  4th  of  March,  1825,  John  Quincy  Adams  delivered 
his  inaugural,  and  took  the  oath  of  office  in  the  Hall 
of  the  House  of  Representatives.  On  the  4th  of 
March,  1829,  Andrew  Jackson  delivered  his  inaugural 
address  from  the  eastern  portico  of  the  Capitol,  and 
took  the  oath  of  office  in  the  presence  of  an  immense 
multitude.  On  the  occasion  of  his  second  inauguration, 
four  years  later,  the  ceremonies  were  conducted  in  the 
Hall  of  Representatives.  Martin  Van  Buren  was  in 
augurated  on  the  4th  of  March,  1837.  The  Vice- 
President  was  first  sworn  in,  when  he  took  the  Chair  as 
Presiding  Officer  of  the  Senate.  At  noon,  Mr.  Van 
Buren,  accompanied  by  General  Jackson,  the  retiring 
President,  entered  the  Senate  Chamber,  from  which 
the  party  repaired  to  the  east  portico  of  the  Capitol,  in 


222  THE    SIGHTS    AND    SECRETS 

front  of  which  an  immense  multitude  had  gathered. 
Here  Mr.  Van  Buren  delivered  his  inaugural  address, 
and  took  the  oath  of  office  at  the  hands  of  Chief- 
Justice  Taney.  On  the  4th  of  March,  1841,  General 
Harrison  left  his  quarters,  mounted  on  a  magnificent 
white  war  horse,  and  was  escorted  to  the  Capitol  by  a 
brilliant  throng.  He  at  once  repaired  to  the  Senate 
Chamber,  where  the  new  Vice-President,  John  Tyler, 
had  been  sworn  in.  Repairing  to  the  eastern  portico, 
he  delivered  his  inaugural,  after  which  the  oath  of 
office  was  administered  by  Chief- Justice  Taney.  Gen 
eral  Harrison  survived  his  election  only  a  few  weeks. 
He  was  succeeded  by  Mr.  Tyler,  the  Vice-President, 
who,  although  he  deemed  his  oath  as  Vice-President  a 
sufficient  qualification  for  his  new  position,  yet  imme 
diately  took  the  Presidential  oath  before  the  Chief- 
Judge  of  the  Circuit  Court  of  the  District  of  Colum 
bia.  James  K.  Polk  was  inaugurated  in  1845,  with  an 
imposing  display,  the  Vice-President,  George  M.  Dallas, 
being  first  sworn  in.  The  ceremonies  took  place  in  the 
eastern  portico  of  the  Capitol,  and  were  followed  by  a 
levee  at  the  White  House.  General  Taylor  was  in 
augurated  on  the  5th  of  March,  1848,  the  4th  chancing 
to  fall  upon  a  Sunday,  and  making  the  second  day  in 
the  history  of  the  country  when  the  Republic  has 
been  without  a  President.  He  delivered  his  inaugural 
from  the  East  Portico,  and  took  the  oath  before 
Chief-Justice  Taney,  with  the  usual  ceremonies.  Gen 
eral  Taylor  died  July  9,  1850,  and  on  the  llth  Mr. 
Fillmore,  the  Vice-President,  took  the  Presidential 
oath  in  the  House  of  Representatives. 


OP  THE  NATIONAL   CAPITAL.  223 

Upon  arriving  in  Washington  for  the  purpose  of 
entering  upon  the  duties  of  his  office,  General  Pierce 
took  lodgings  at  Willard's  Hotel.  On  the  4th  of 
March,  1858,  he  was  waited  upon  by  the  retiring 
President,  Mr.  Fillmorc,  and  the  Hon.  Jesse  D.  Bright 
and  Hon.  Hannibal  Hamlin,  who  had  been  appointed 
a  Committee  for  that  purpose  by  Congress,  and  was 
conducted  to  the  Capitol  by  a  splendid  escort,  in  which 
detachments  of  the  regular  troops  of  the  United  States 
and  a  force  of  Volunteers  took  part.  He  delivered  his 
inaugural,  and  took  the  oath  before  Chief- Justice 
Taney,  from  the  East  Portico,  after  which  he  held  a 
levee  at  the  White  House.  On  the  4th  of  March,  1857, 
James  Buchanan  was  escorted  from  his  lodgings  at 
Willard's  Hotel  to  the  Capitol,  where  the  oath  was 
administered  to  him  in  the  Senate  Chamber,  by  the 
Hon.  James  M.  Mason,  President  pro.  tern,  of  the  Senate. 
Mr.  Buchanan  then  repaired  to  the  East  Portico,  where 
he  delivered  his  inaugural  address  in  the  presence  of  an 
immense  multitude. 

On  the  4th  of  March,  1861,  Abraham  Lincoln  was 
inaugurated  President.  Rumors  of  plots  to  assassinate 
him  were  so  plentiful,  that  it  became  advisable  for  him 
to  pass  through  the  State  of  Maryland  with  the  utmost 
secrecy.  He  reached  Washington  in  this  way  before 
any  one  but  his  most  trusted  friends  were  aware  of  his 
movements.  Threats  against  his  life  were  openly  made 
after  his  arrival,  and  it  became  necessary  to  station  a 
strong  force  of  regular  troops  throughout  the  city,  so 
as  to  make  sure  of  the  preservation  of  order  and  peace. 
The  military  arrangements  were  directed  by  General 


224  THE   SIGHTS    AND   SECRETS 

Scott  in  person.  Mr.  Lincoln  was  conducted  to  the 
Capitol  with  great  display.  He  was  received  by  the 
Senate,  and  escorted  to  the  East  Portico,  where  he  de 
livered  his  address,  and  took  the  oath  before  Chief- 
Justice  Taney.  His  second,  inauguration,  March  4? 
1865,  was  accompanied  with  one  of  the  finest  displays 
ever  witnessed  in  Washington.  The  ceremonies  took 
place  in  the  East  Portico  of  the  Capitol.  The  morning 
was  dark  and  lowering,  but  as  the  President  placed 
himself  in  front  of  the  venerable  Chief-Justice  to  pro 
nounce  the  solemn  vow,  the  sun  burst  from  behind  the 
heavy  clouds,  and  shone  down  upon  him  with  all  its 
brilliancy. 

The  next  occasion  of  this  kind  will  be  the  inaugu 
ration  of  General  Grant,  and  will  be  one  of  the  most 
magnificent  displays  ever  witnessed  in  America. 

WHAT  IT  COSTS  THE  PEESIDENT  TO  LIVE. 

The  official  salary  of  the  President  is  fixed  by  law 
at  twenty-five  thousand  dollars  per  annum,  or  one 
hundred  thousand  dollars  for  his  term  of  four  years. 
At  the  beginning  of  each  term  Congress  makes  an  ap 
propriation  for  refurnishing  the  Executive  Mansion. 
The  kitchen  and  pantry  are  supplied  to  a  considerable 
extent  by  the  same  body.  Congress  pays  all  the  em 
ployees  about  the  house,  from  the  private  secretary  to 
the  humblest  bootblack ;  it  provides  fuel  and  lights ; 
keeps  up  the  stables  ;  and  furnishes  a  corps  of  garden 
ers  and  a  garden  to  supply  the  Presidential  board 
with  fruits,  flowers,  and  vegetables.  Besides  this,  the 
President  receives  many  presents  from  private  parties. 


OP  THE  NATIONAL   CAPITAL.  225 

Many  persons  suppose  that  these  allowances  ought  to 
be  enough  to  enable  him  to  live  comfortably.  They 
are  mistaken,  however.  The  President  is  required  by 
public  opinion  to  live  in  a  style  consistent  with  the 
dignity  of  his  position  and  the  honor  of  the  country, 
and  such  a  mode  of  life  imposes  upon  him  many  very 
heavy  expenses.  Besides  this,  he  is  expected  to  be 
liberal  and  charitable  towards  persons  and  meritorious 
causes  seeking  his  aid,  and  u  their  name  is  legion."  He 
cannot  give  as  a  private  individual ;  his  donation  must 
be  large.  The  expense  of  entertaining  the  various 
officers  of  the  Government,  members  of  Congress,  and 
Foreign  Ministers  is  enormous  ;  so  that,  when  all  things 
are  considered,  it  is  a  wonder  how  the  President  can 
live  decently  upon  the  small  allowance  -made  him  by 
Congress,  especially  at  the  present  time  when  prices 
are  so  high,  and  the  currency  so  much  depreciated. 
One  hundred  thousand  dollars  per  annum  would  not 
be  too  much  to  allow  him. 

THE  PRESIDENT'S  VISITORS. 

Access  to  the  President  may  be  easily  had  by  any 
person  having  legitimate  business  with  him,  or  wishing 
to  pay  his  respects  to  the  Chief  Magistrate  of  the 
Union,  but,  as  His  Excellency's  time  is  valuable  and 
much  occupied,  interviews  are  limited  to  the  shortest 
possible  duration.  Visitors,  upon  such  occasions,  repair 
to  the  reception-room  adjoining  the  President's  private 
office,  send  in  their  cards,  and  await  His  Excellency's 
pleasure. 

Besides  granting  these  private  interviews,  thfl 
15 


226  THE   SIGHTS    AND    SECRETS 

President  holds  public  receptions  or  levees  at  stated 
times  during  the  sessions  of  Congress. 

His  official  title  is  "  Mr.  President,"  but  courtesy 
has  added  that  of  "  His  Excellency."  It  is  worthy  of 
remark  that  none  of  the  Executive  officers  of  the 
States  of  the  Union,  except  the  Governor  of  Massa 
chusetts,  have  any  legal  claim  to  the  titles,  "  His  Excel 
lency  "  and  "  Your  Excellency." 

All  sorts  of  people  come  to  see  the  President,  on 
all  sorts  of  business.  His  immense  patronage  makes 
him  the  object  of  the  efforts  of  many  unprincipled 
men.  His  integrity  is  subjected  to  the  severest  trials, 
and  if  he  come  out  of  office  poor,  as  happily  all  of  our 
Presidents  have  done,  he  must  indeed  be  an  honest 
man.  His  position  is  not  a  bed  of  roses,  for  he  cannot 
hope  to  please  all  parties.  His  friends  exaggerate  his 
good  qualities,  and  often  make  him  appear  ridiculous, 
while  his  enemies  magnify  his  faults  and  errors,  and 
slander  and  persecute  him  in  every  imaginable  way. 
Pitfalls  are  set  for  him  along  every  step  of  his  path, 
and  he  must  be  wary  indeed,  if  he  would  not  fall  into 
them.  The  late  President  Buchanan  once  said  that 
there  were  at  least  two  persons  in  the  world  who  could 
not  echo  the  wish  experienced  by  each  American 
mother,  that  her  son  might  one  day  be  President,  and 
that  they  were  the  retiring  and  the  incoming  Presi 
dents,  the  first  of  whom  was  worn  and  weary  with  the 
burden  he  was  laying  down,  and  the  other  for  the  first 
time  fully  alive  to  the  magnitude  of  the  task  he  had 
undertaken. 


OF   THE   NATIONAL   CAPITAL.  227 

CABINET   MEETINGS. 

The  Cabinet  Ministers  in  our  Government  are  the 
Secretaries  placed  at  the  heads  of  the  various  Depart 
ments.  They  are  the  constitutional  advisers  of  the 
President,  but  he  is  not  obliged  to  be  governed  by 
their  advice.  It  is  customary,  however,  to  lay  all  im 
portant  matters  before  them  for  their  opinions  there 
upon,  which  are  submitted  in  writing  at  the  request 
of  the  President,  and  for  this  purpose  regular  meetings 
of  the  Cabinet  are  held  at  stated  times  in  a  room  in 
the  Executive  Mansion,  provided  for  that  purpose.  It 
is  located  on  the  second  floor  of  the  mansion,  and  is 
plainly  but  comfortably  furnished. 

The  relations  existing  between  the  President  and 
his  Cabinet  are,  or  ought  to  be,  of  the  most  friendly 
and  confidential  nature.  They  are  well  set  forth  in 
the  attitude  maintained  upon  this  point  by  Mr.  Lin 
coln.  Says  Mr.  Raymond,  his  biographer :  "  He  always 
maintained  that  the  proper  duty  of  each  Secretary  was 
to  direct  the  details  of  every  thing  done  within  his 
own  Department,  and  to  tender  such  suggestions,  in 
formation,  and  advice  to  the  President,  as  he  might 
solicit  at  his  hands.  But  the  duty  and  responsibility 
of  deciding  what  line  of  policy  should  be  pursued,  or 
what  steps  should  be  taken  in  any  specific  case,  in  his 
judgment,  belonged  exclusively  to  the  President;  and 
he  was  always  willing  and  ready  to  assume  it." 


228  THE   SIGHTS    AND    SECRETS 


VIII. 

THE  WHITE  HOUSE. 

THE  Executive  Mansion  is  situated  on  Pennsylvania 
Avenue,  near  the  western  end  of  the  city,  and  is  sur 
rounded  by  the  Treasury,  State,  War,  and  Navy  De 
partments.  The  grounds  in  front  are  handsomely 
ornamented,  and  in  the  rear  a  fine  park  stretches  away 
to  the  river.  The  location  is  attractive,  and  commands 
a  magnificent  view  of  the  Potomac,  but  it  is  not  healthy. 
Ague  and  fever  prevails  in  the  Spring  and  Fall,  and 
renders  it  any  thing  but  a  desirable  place  of  residence. 
The  building  is  constructed  of  freestone  painted  white 
— hence  its  most  common  name,  the  "White  House.'*' 
It  was  designed  by  James  Hoban,  and  was  modelled 
after  the  palace  of  the  Duke  of  Leinster.  The  corner 
stone  was  laid  on  the  13th  of  October,  1792,  and  the 
house  was  ready  for  occupancy  in  the  Summer  of  1800. 
It  was  partially  destroyed  by  the  British  in  1814.  It 
has  a  front  of  one  hundred  and  seventy  feet,  and  a 
depth  of  eighty-six  feet.  It  contains  two  lofty  stories 
of  rooms,  and  the  roof  is  surrounded  with  a  handsome 
balustrade.  The  exterior  walls  are  ornamented  with 
fine  Ionic  pilasters.  On  the  north  front  is  a  handsome 
portico,  with  four  Ionic  columns  in  front,  and  a  pro 
jecting  screen  with  three  columns.  The  space  between 
these  two  rows  of  pillars  is  a  covered  carriage  way 


OF   THE   NATIONAL    CAPITAL.  229 

The  main  entrance  to  tbe  house  is  from  this  portico 
through  a  massive  doorway,  which  opens  into  the 
main  hall.  The  garden  front  has  a  rusticated  basement, 
which  gives  a  third  story  to  the  house  on  this  side,  and 
by  a  semicircular  projecting  colonnade  of  six  columns, 
with  two  flights  of  steps  leading  from  the  ground  to 
the  level  of  the  principalstory. 

THE   INTEIIIOB   OF  THE   WHITE  HOUSE. 

Entering  by  the  main  door,  the  visitor  finds  him 
self  in  a  handsome  hall,  divided  midway  by  a  row  of 
imitation  marble  pillars,  and  ornamented  with  por 
traits  of  former  Presidents.  Passing  to  the  left,  you 
enter  the  magnificent  banqueting  hall,  or,  as  it  is  com 
monly  called, 

THE  EAST  BOOM, 

which  occupies  the  entire  eastern  side  of  the  house.  It 
is  a  beautiful  apartment,  and  is  handsomely  furnished. 
It  is  used  during  the  levees  and  upon  great  state  occa 
sions.  The  President  sometimes  receives  here  the  con 
gratulations  and  respects  of  his  fellow-citizens,  and  is 
subjected  to  the  torture  of  having  his  hand  squeezed 
out  of  shape  by  his  enthusiastic  friends.  It's  a  great 
pity  that  some  one  of  our  Chief  Magistrates  has  not 
the  moral  courage  to  put  a  stop  to  this  ridiculous  prac 
tice  of  hand-shaking.  The  East  Room  is  eighty-six 
feet  long,  forty  feet  wide,  and  twenty-eight  feet  high. 
It  has  four  fire-places,  and  is  not  an  easy  room  to 
warm. 

Adjoining  the  East  Room  are  three  others,  smaller 


230  THE    SIGHTS    AND    SECRETS 

in  size,  the  whole  constituting  one  of  the  handsomest 
mites  in  the  country.  The  first,  adjoining  the  East 
Room,  is  the  Green  Room,  the  next  the  Blue  Room, 
and  the  third  the  Red  Room.  Each  is  handsomely 
furnished,  the  prevailing  color  of  the  apartment  giving 
the  name. 

THE   BED    BOOM 

is  elliptical  in  form,  having  a  bow  in  rear,  and  is  one 
of  the  handsomest  in  the  house.  It  is  used  by  the 
President  as  a  general  reception-room.  He  receives 
here  the  official  visits  of  the  dignitaries  of  the  Re 
public,  and  of  foreign  ministers.  Previous  to  the 
completion  of  the  East  Room,  this  apartment  was 
used  for  all  occasions  of  public  ceremony. 

The  building  contains  thirty-one  rooms  of  consid 
erable  size.  West  of  the  Red  Room  is  the  large  din 
ing-room  used  upon  State  occasions,  and  adjoining 
that  is  the  small  dining-room,  ordinarily  used  by  the 
President  and  his  family.  The  stairs  to  the  upper 
story  are  on  the  left  of  the  main  entrance,  and  are 
always  in  charge  of  the  door-keeper  and  his  assistants, 
whose  business  it  is  to  see  that  no  improper  characters 
find  access  to  the  private  portion  of  the  house. 

The  north  front  has  six  rooms,  which  are  used  as 
chambers  by  the  family  of  the  President,  and  the 
south  front  has  seven  rooms  —  the  ante-chamber, 
audience-room,  cabinet-room,  private  office  of  the 
President,  the  ladies'  parlor,  and  two  others,  used 
for  various  purposes. 


OF   THE   NATIONAL   CAPITAL.  231 


is  situated  immediately  over  the  Red  Room,  and  is  of 
the  same  size  and  shape.  It  is  for  the  private  use  of 
the  ladies  of  the  President's  family,  and  is  the  hand 
somest  and  most  tastefully  furnished  apartment  in 
the  house. 

There  are  eleven  rooms  in  the  basement,  which 
are  used  as  kitchens,  pantries,  butler's  room,  &c.  The 
house  is  built  in  the  old  style,  and  has  an  air  of  ele 
gance  and  comfort  extremely  pleasing  to  the  eye.  The 
furniture  is,  as  a  general  rule,  costly,  but  a  little  more 
taste  might  have  been  exhibited  in  its  selection  and 
arrangement. 

» 

THE    FIKST   MISTRESS    OF   THE   WHITE   HOUSE. 

Mrs.  John  Adams  came  to  Washington  with 
her  husband  in  November,  1800,  and  at  once  took 
possession  of  the  Executive  Mansion.  Her  impres 
sions  of  it  are  thus  described  by  herself  in  a  letter 
to  her  daughter,  written  soon  after  her  arrival.  She 
says : 

"  The  house  is  upon  a  grand  and  superb  scale, 
requiring  about  thirty  servants  to  attend  and  keep 
the  apartments  in  proper  order,  and  perform  the  ordi 
nary  business  of  the  house  and  stables — an  establish 
ment  very  well  proportioned  to  the  President's  salary. 
The  lighting  the  apartments,  from  the  kitchen  to  par 
lors  and  chambers,  is  a  tax  indeed,  and  the  fires  we 
are  obliged  to  keep  to  secure  us  from  daily  agues,  is 
another  very  cheering  comfort.  To  assist  us  in  thia 


232  THE   SIGHTS    AND    SECRETS 

great  castle,  and  render  less  attendance  necessary,  bells 
are  wholly  wanting,  not  one  single  one  being  hung 
through  the  whole  house,  and  promises  are  all  you 
can  obtain.  This  is  so  great  an  inconvenience,  that  I 
know  not  what  to  do  or  how  to  do.  The  ladies  from 
Georgetown  and  in  the  city  have  many  of  them  vis 
ited  me.  Yesterday  I  returned  fifteen  visits.  But 
such  a  place  as  Georgetown  appears !  Why,  our 
Milton  is  beautiful.  But  no  comparisons ;  if  they 
put  me  up  bells,  and  let  me  have  wood  enough  to 
keep  fires,  I  design  to  be  pleased.  But,  surrounded 
with  forests,  can  you  believe  that  wood  is  not  to  be 
had,  because  people  cannot  be  found  to  cut  and  cart 
it.  *  *  *  We  have,  indeed,  come  into  a  new 
counfry.  • 

"  The  house  is  made  habitable,  but  there  is  not  a 
single  apartment  finished,  and  all  within  side,  except 
the  plastering,  has  been  done  since  B.  came.  We 
have  not  the  least  fence,  yard,  or  convenience  without, 
and  the  great  unfinished  audience-room  I  make  a 
drying-room  of,  to  hang  up  the  clothes  in.  *  *  * 
If  the  twelve  years,  in  which  this  place  has  been  con 
sidered  as  the  future  seat  of  government,  had  been 
improved,  as  they  would  have  been  in  New  England, 
very  many  of  the  present  inconveniences  would  have 
been  removed.  It  is  a  beautiful  spot,  capable  of  any 
improvement,  and  the  more  I  view  it,  the  more  I  am 
delighted  with  it." 

OLD   TIMES   AT  THE   WHITE   HOUSE. 

Mr.  Cooper  thus  describes  a  dinner  at  the  White 


0*  THE   NATIONAL   CAPITAL.  233 

House,  to  which  he  was  invited,  during  its  occupancy 
by  Mr.  Monroe : 

"  On  this  occasion,  we  were  honored  with  the 
presence  of  Mrs.  Monroe,  and  two  or  three  of  her 
female  relatives.  Crossing  the  hall,  we  were  admitted 
to  a  drawing-room,  in  which  most  of  the  company 
were  already  assembled.  The  hour  was  six.  By  far 
the  greater  part  of  the  guests  were  men,  and  per 
haps  two  thirds  were  Members  of  Congress.  *  *  * 
There  was  very  great  gravity  of  mien  in  most  of  the 
company,  and  neither  any  very  marked"  exhibition, 
nor  any  positively  striking  want,  of  grace  of  manner. 
The  conversation  was  commonplace,  and  a  little  som 
bre,  though  two  or  three  men  of  the  world  got  around 
the  ladies,  where  the  battle  of  words  was  maintained 
with  sufficient  spirit.  *  *  *  To  me  the  entertain 
ment  had  rather  a  cold  than  a  formal  air.  When 
dinner  was  announced,  the  oldest  Senator  present 
(there  were  two,  and  seniority  of  service  is  meant) 
took  Mrs.  Monroe,  and  led  her  to  the  table.  The  rest 
of  the  party  followed  without  much  order.  The 
President  took  a  lady,  as  usual,  and  preceded  the  rest 
of  the  guests. 

"  The  drawing-room  was  an  apartment  of  good 
size,  and  of  just  proportions.  It  might  have  been 
about  as  large  as  the  better  sort  of  Paris  salon  in  a 
private  hotel.  It  was  furnished  in  a  mixed  style, 
partly  English  and  partly  French.  *  *  *  It  was 
neat,  sufficiently  rich,  without  being  at  all  magnifi 
cent,  and,  on  the  whole,  was  very  much  like  a  similar 
apartment  in  the  house  of  a  man  of  rank  and  fortune 


234  THE   SIGHTS    AND    SECRETS 

in  Europe.  The  dining-room  was  in  a  better  taste 
than  is  common  here,  being  quite  simple,  and  but 
little  furnished.  The  table  was  large  and  rather 
handsome.  The  service  was  in  china,  as  is  uniformly 
the  case,  plate  being  exceedingly  rare,  if  at  all  used. 
There  was,  however,  a  rich  plateau,  and  a  great  abun 
dance  of  the  smaller  articles  of  table-plate.  The  cloth, 
napkins,  &c.,  <fec.,  were  fine  and  beautiful. 

"  The  dinner  was  served  in  the  French  style,  a  lit- 
tie  Americanized.  The  dishes  were  handed  round, 
though  some  of  the  guests,  appearing  to  prefer  their 
own  customs,  coolly  helped  themselves  to  what  they 
found  at  hand.  Of  attendants  there  were  a  good 
many.  They  were  neatly  dressed,  out  of  livery,  and 
sufficient.  To  conclude,  the  whole  entertainment  might 
have  passed  for  a  better  sort  of  European  dinner-party, 
at  which  the  guests  were  too  numerous  for  general  or 
very  agreeable  discourse,  and  some  of  them  too  new 
to  be  entirely  at  their  ease.  Mrs.  Monroe  arose,  at 
the  end  of  the  dessert,  and  withdrew,  attended  by  two 
or  three  of  the  most  gallant  of  the  company.  No 
sooner  was  his  wife's  back  turned,  than  the  President 
reseated  himself,  inviting  his  guests  to  imitate  the 
action.  After  allowing  his  guests  sufficient  time  to 
renew,  in  a  few  glasses,  the  recollections  of  similar 
enjoyments  of  their  own,  he  arose  himself,  giving  the 
hint  to  his  company,  that  it  was  time  to  rejoin  the 
ladies.  In  the  drawing-room,  coffee  was  served,  and 
every  body  left  the  house  before  nine." 


OB  THE  NATIONAL  CAPITAL.          235 

AN  OLD  TIME  LEVEE. 

"  On  the  succeeding  Wednesday,  Mrs.  Monroe 
opened  her  doors  to  all  the  world.  No  invitation 
was  necessary,  it  being  the  usage  for  the  wife  of  the 
President  to  receive  company  once  a  fortnight  during 
the  session,  without  distinction  of  persons. 

"  We  reached  the  White  House  at  nine.  The 
court  (or  rather  the  grounds)  was  filled  with  car 
riages,  and  the  company  was  arriving  in  great  num 
bers.  On  this  occasion,  two  or  three  additional 
drawing-rooms  were  opened,  though  the  frugality  of 
Congress  has  prevented  them  from  finishing  the  prin 
cipal  reception-room  of  the  building.  I  will  acknowl 
edge  the  same  sort  of  surprise  I  felt  at  the  Castle 
Garden  fete,  at  finding  the  assemblage  so  respectable 
in  air,  dress,  and  deportment. 

"  The  evening  at  the  White  House,  or  drawing- 
room,  as  it  is  sometimes  pleasantly  called,  is,  in  fact, 
a  collection  of  all  classes  of  people,  who  choose  to  go 
to  the  trouble  and  expense  of  appearing  in  dresses 
suited  to  an  ordinary  evening  party.  I  am  not  sure 
that  even  dress  is  much  regarded ;  for  I  certainly 
saw  a  good  many  there  in  boots.  The  females  were 
all  neatly  and  properly  attired,  though  few  were 
ornamented  with  jewelry.  Of  course,  the  poor  and 
laboring  clases  of  the  community  would  find  little 
or  no  pleasure  in  such  a  scene.  They  consequently 
stay  away.  The  infamous,  if  known,  would  not  be 
admitted  ;  for  it  is  a  peculiar  consequence  of  the  high 
tone  of  morals  in  this  country,  that  grave  and  noto- 


236 

rious  offenders  rarely  presume  to  violate  the  public 
feeling  by  invading  society.* 

"  Squeezing  through  the  crowd,  we  achieved  a 
passage  to  a  part  of  the  room  where  Mrs.  Monroe 
was  standing,  surrounded  by  a  bevy  of  female  friends. 
Afttr  making  our  bow  here,  we  sought  the  President. 
The  latter  had  posted  himself  at  the  top  of  the  room, 
where  he  remained  most  of  the  evening,  shaking  hands 
with  all  who  approached.  Near  him  stood  all  the 
Secretaries,  and  a  great  number  of  the  most  distin 
guished  men  of  the  nation.  Individuals  of  import 
ance  from  all  parts  of  the  Union  were  also  here,  and 
were  employed  in  the  manner  usual  to  such  scenes. 

"  Besides  these,  one  meets  here  a  great  variety  of 
people  in  other  conditions  of  life.  I  have  known  a 
cartman  to  leave  his  horse  in  the  street,  and  go  into 
the  reception-room  to  shake  hands  with  the  President. 
He  offended  the  good  taste  of  all  present,  because  it 
was  not  thought  decent  that  a  laborer  should  come  in 
a  dirty  dress  on  such  an  occasion  ;  but  while  he  made 
a  trifling  mistake  in  this  particular,  he  proved  how 
well  he  understood  the  difference  between  govern 
ment  and  society.  He  knew  the  levee  was  a  sort  of 
homage  paid  to  political  equality  in  the  person  of  the 
first  magistrate,  but  he  would  not  have  presumed  to 
enter  the  house  of  the  same  person  as  a  private  indi 
vidual,  without  being  invited,  or  without  a  reason 
able  excuse  in  the  way  of  business. 

"  There  are,  no  doubt,  individuals  who  mistake 
the  character  of  these  assemblies,  but  the  great 

*  This  was  nearly  fifty  years  ago. — Author. 


OF   THE   NATIONAL    CAPITAL.  237 

majority  do  not.  They  are  a  simple,  periodical  ac- 
knowledgment  that  there  is  no  legal  barri  r  to  the 
advancement  of  any  one  to  the  first  association  in  the 
Union.  You  perceive,  there  are  no  masters  of  cere 
monies,  no  ushers,  no  announcings,  nor,  indeed,  any 
let  or  hindrance  to  the  ingress  of  all  who  please  to 
come ;  and  yet  how  few,  in  comparison  to  the  whole 
number  who  might  enter,  do  actually  appear.  If 
there  is  any  man  in  Washington  so  dull  as  to  sup 
pose  equality  means  a  right  to  thrust  himself  into 
any  company  he  pleases,  it  is  probable  he  satisfies 
himself  by  boasting  that  he  can  go  to  the  White 
House  once  a  fortnight,  as  well  as  a  governor  or  any 
body  else." 

ETIQUETTE. 

The  social  observances  of  the  White  House  are 
prescribed  with  the  utmost  exactness.  At  the  com 
mencement  of  Washington's  administration,  the  ques 
tion  of  how  to  regulate  such  matters  was  discussed 
with  great  earnestness.  It  was  agreed  that  the  exclu 
sive  rules  by  which  European  courts  were  governed, 
would  not  entirely  suit  the  new  Republic,  as  there 
were  no  titled  personages  in  America,  and  as  the 
society  of  our  country  was  organized  on  a  professed 
basis  of  equality.  Washington  caused  the  following 
articles  to  be  drawn  up  : 

"  In  order  to  bring  the  members  of  society  to 
gether  in  the  first  instance,  the  custom  of  the  country 
has  established  that  residents  shall  pay  the  first  visit 
to  strangers,  and,  among  strangers,  first  comers  tc 
later  comers,  foreign  and  domestic ;  the  character  of 


238  THE    SIGHTS    AND    SECEETS 

stranger  ceasing  after  the  first  visits.  To  this  rule 
there  is  a  single  exception.  Foreign  ministers,  from 
the  necessity  of  making  themselves  known,  pay  the 
first  visit  to  the  [cabinet]  ministers  of  the  nation, 
which  is  returned. 

"When  brought  together  in  society,  all  are  per 
fectly  equal,  whether  foreign  or  domestic,  titled  or 
un titled,  in  or  out  of  office. 

"  All  other  observances  are  but  exemplifications 
of  these  two  principles. 

"  The  families  of  foreign  ministers,  arriving  at  the 
seat  of  government,  receive  the  first  visit  from  those 
of  the  national  ministers,  as  from  all  other  residents. 

"  Members  of  the  legislature  and  of  the  judiciary, 
independent  of  their  offices,  have  a  right  as  strangers 
to  receive  the  first  visit. 

"  No  title  being  admitted  here,  those  of  foreigners 
give  no  precedence. 

"  Differences  of  grade  among  the  diplomatic  mem 
bers  give  no  precedence.  .  , 

"  At  public  ceremonies,  to  which  the  government 
invites  the  presence  of  foreign  ministers  and  their 
families,  a  convenient  seat  or  station  will  be  provided 
for  them,  with  any  other  strangers  invited,  and  the 
families  of  the  national  ministers,  each  taking  place 
as  they  arrive,  and  without  any  precedence. 

"To  maintain  the  principle  of  equality,  or  of  pele 
mele,  and  prevent  the  growth  of  precedence  out  of 
courtesy,  the  members  of  the  executive  will  practise 
at  their  own  houses,  and  recommend  an  adherence  to 
the  ancient  usage  of  the  country,  of  gentlemen  in 


OF   THE   NATIONAL   CAPITAL.  239 

mass  giving  precedence  to  the  ladies  in  mass,  in  pass 
ing  from  one  apartment  were  they  are  assembled  into 
another." 

These  rules  were  too  arbitrary  and  exacting  to 
give  satisfaction,  and  society  was  not  disposed  to 
acknowledge  so  genuine  an  equality  amongst  its 
members.  For  some  years,  disputes  and  quarrels 
were  frequent  and  bitter.  In  the  winter  of  1819, 
John  Quincy  Adams,  then  Secretary  of  State,  ad 
dressed  a  letter  to  Daniel  D.  Tompkins,  the  Vice- 
President,  stating  that  he  had  been  informed  that  the 
members  of  the  Senate  had  agreed  amongst  them 
selves  to  pay  no  first  visits  to  any  person  except  the 
President  of  the  United  States.  He  declared  that  he 
repudiated  the  claim  on  the  part  of  the  Senators,  and 
that  he  would  pay  no  first  calls  himself  as  being  due 
from  him  or  his  family.  Mr.  Adams  was  severely 
criticised  for  his  aristocratic  views,  and  the  contro 
versy  went  on.  as  warmly  as  before.  The  result,  a 
few  years  later,  was,  that  all  parties  interested  agreed 
upon  a  code,  which  is  now  in  force,  and  which  may 
be  stated  as  follows,  as  far  as  the  White  House  is 

concerned : 

THE  CODE. 

The  title  of  the  Executive  is  Mr.  President.  It  is 
not  proper  to  address  him  in  conversation  as  Your  Ex 
cellency. 

The  President  receives  calls  upon  matters  of  busi 
ness  at  any  hour,  if  he  is  unengaged.  He  prefers  that 
such  visits  should  be  made  in  the  morning.  Stated 
times  are  appointed  for  receiving  persons  who  wish  to 


240  THE    SIGHTS   AND    SECRETS 

pay  their  respects  to  him.  One  morning  and  one 
evening  in  each  week  are  ususually  set  apart  for  this 
purpose. 

During  the  winter  season,  a  public  reception,  or 
levee,  is  held  once  a  week,  at  which  guests  are  expected 
to  appear  in  full  dress.  They  are  presented  by  the 
Usher  on  such  occasions,  and  have  the  honor  of  shaking 
hands  with  the  President.  These  receptions  last  from 
eight  until  ten  o'clock. 

On  the  1st  of  January  and  the  4th  of  July,  the 
President  holds  public  receptions,  at  which  the  Foreign 
Ministers  present  in  the  city  appear  in  full  court  dress, 
and  the  officers  of  the  Army  and  Navy  in  full  uniform. 
The  Heads  of  Departments,  Governors  of  States,  and 
Members  of  Congress  are  received  first,  then  the  Dip 
lomatic  Corps,  then  officers  of  the  Army  and  Navy, 
and  then  the  doors  are  thrown  open  to  the  public  gen 
erally  for  the  space  of  two  hours. 

The  President,  as  such,  must  not  be.invited  to  din 
ner  by  any  one,  and  accepts  no  such  invitations,  and 
pays  no  calls  or  visits  of  ceremony.  He  may  visit  in 
his  private  capacity,  however,  at  p'easure. 

An  invitation  to  dine  at  the  White  House  takes 
precedence  of  all  others,  and  a  previous  engagement 
must  not  be  pleaded  as  an  excuse  for  declining  it. 
Such  an  invitation  must  be  promptly  accepted  in  writ 
ing. 

THE  PRESIDENT'S  RECEPTIONS. 

The  levees  held  by  the  President  difler  in  nothing 
from  those  of  Mr.  Monroe's  time,  described  a  few  pages 
back,  except  that  the  East  Room  is  now  finished,  and 


OF   THE   NATIONAL   CAPITAL.  241 

the  whole  magnificent  suite  of  apartments  is  used.  The 
elite  of  the  land  are  present,  but  the  infamous  are  also 
there  in  the  persons  of  those  who  live  by  plundering 
the  public  treasury. 

The  President  stands  in  one  of  the  smaller  parlors, 
generally  in  the  Red  or  Blue  Room.  He  is  surround 
ed  by  his  Cabinet,  and  the  most  distinguished  men  in 
the  land.  Near  him  stands  his  wife,  daughter,  or  some 
relative  representing  the  mistress  of  the  mansion. 
Visitors  enter  from  the  hall,  and  are  presented  to  the 
President  by  the  Usher,  who  first  asks  their  names, 
residences,  and  avocations.  The  President  shakes  each 
one  by  the  hand  cordially,  utters  a  few  pleasant  words 
in  reply  to  the  greetings  of  his  guest,  and  the  visitor 
passes  on  into  the  next  room,  to  make  way  for  those 
behind  him.  Before  doing  so,  however,  he  is  presented 
to  the  lady  of  the  house,  to  whom  he  pays  his  respects 
also.  This  regular  routine  goes  on  for  the  space  of  two 
hours,  when  it  is  brought  to  an  end,  the  President  de 
voutly  thanking  Heaven  that  it  does  not  last  all  night. 

These  levees  are  no  doubt  very  interesting  to  the 
guests,  but  they  are  the  bugbears  of  the  President  and 
his  family.  The  former  is  obliged  by  custom  to  shake 
hands  with  every  man  presented  to  him,  and  when  the 
levee  is  over,  his  right  hand  is  often  braised  and' swol 
len  It  is  said  that  some  of  the  Presidents  have  suffered 
severely  from  this  species  of  torture,  and  that  General 
Harrison's  death  was  to  some  degree  hastened  by  it. 

The  semi-annual  receptions  of  the  President — New 
Year's  Day  and  the  Fourth  of  July — are  brilliant  affairs. 
At  a  little  before  eleven  o'clock  in  the  morning,  the 
16 


242  THE    SIGHTS    AND    SECRETS 

approaches  to  the  Executive  Mansion  are  thronged 
with  the  splendid  equipages  of  the  various  Cabinet 
officers  and  Foreign  Ministers.  The  entrance  at  such 
times  is  by  the  main  door,  and  the  exit  through  one  of 
the  large  north  windows  of  the  East  Room,  in  front  of 
which  a  temporary  platform  is  erected.  The  customs 
upon  such  occasions  vary  slightly  with  each  administra 
tion.  In  the  description  given  here,  the  order  observed 
at  the  last  reception  of  the  President,  January  1,  1869, 
is  followed. 

The  East  Room  and  the  other "  parlors  are  hand 
somely  decorated  with  flowers  and  other  ornaments, 
the  full  Marine  Band  is  in  attendance  to  furnish  music 
for  the  promenaders  in  the  East  Room,  and  a  strong 
police  force  is  present  to  preserve  order  when  the 
people  are  admitted  en  masse. 

At  a  few  minutes  before  eleven  o'clock,  the  Presi 
dent  and  the  ladies  of  the  White  House,  in  full  dress, 
take  their  places  in  the  Blue  Room,  the  President 
standing  near  the  door  leading  into  the  Red  Room, 
and  the  ladies  in  the  centre  of  the  Blue  Room.  The 
President  is  attended  by  either  the  Commissioner  of 
Public  Buildings,  or  the  Marshal  of  the  District  of 
Columbia,  whose  duty  it  is  to  present  the  guests  to 
him.  A  gentleman  is  also  appointed  to  attend  the 
ladies  for  the  purpose  of  presenting  the  guests  to  them. 

Precisely  at  eleven  o'clock  the  doors  are  thrown 
open,  and  the  reception  begins.  The  Cabinet  Ministers 
and  their  families  are  admitted  first,  and  after  they 
have  passed  on  into  the  East  Room,  through  the  Green 
Parlor,  the  Secretary  of  State  remains  and  presents  the 


Of   THE   NATIONAL    CAPITAL.  243 

Foreign  Ministers  and  their  families.  They  are  fol 
lowed  by  the  Justices  of  the  Supreme  Court  and  their 
families.  Then  come  the  Senators  and  Representatives 
in  Congress  and  their  families.  The  next  in  order  are  the 
officers  of  the  Army,  then  the  officers  of  the  Navy  and 
Marine  Corps,  in  full  uniform,  and  then  the  officials  of 
the  District  of  Columbia.  These  personages  generally 
occupy  the  first  hour.  The  doors  are  then  opened  to 
the  public,  and  the  next  two  hours  are  devoted  to  re 
ceiving  them.  Several  thousand  persons  are  presented 
during  this  period.  They  say  a  few  pleasant  words  to 
the  President,  receive  a  brief  reply,  and  pass  on. 

The  promenaders  in  the  East  Room  often  linger  in 
that  apartment  during  the  whole  reception.  The  scene 
is  brilliant,  the  toilettes  are  magnificent,  the  uniforms 
and  court  dresses  attractive,  and  the  music  fine.  At 
a  little  after  two  o'clock  the  parlors  are  deserted,  and 
the  gay  throng  has  sought  other  attractions. 

Besides  these  public  levees,  the  ladies  of  the  White 
House  hold  receptions  at  stated  periods,  to  which  in 
vitations  are  regularly  issued.  The  President  some 
times  appears  upon  these  occasions,  but  is  under  no 
obligation  to  do  so. 

During  the  first  two  years  of  the  administration  of 
Mr.  Lincoln,  he  always  selected  a  lady  to  join  the 
promenade  with  him  at  his  evening  receptions,  thus 
leaving  his  wife  free  to  choose  an  escort  from  the  dis 
tinguished  throng  which  always  surrounded  her  on 
such  occasions.  This  custom  did  not  please  Mrs.  Lin 
coln,  who  resolved  to  put  a  stop  to  it.  She  declared 
the  practice  absurd.  '"  On  such  occasions/'  said  she, 


244  THE    SIGHTS    AND    SECRETS 

"our  guests  recognize  the  position  of  the  President  atn 
first  of  all ;  consequently,  he  takes  the  lead  in  every 
thing ;  well,  now,  if  they  recognize  his  position  they 
should  also  recognize  mine.  I  am  his  wife,  and  should 
lead  with  him.  And  yet  he  offers  his  arm  to  any 
other  lady  in  the  room,  making  her  first  with  him,  and 
placing  me  second.  The  custom  is  an  absurd  one,  arid 
I  mean  to  abolish  it.  The  dignity  that  I  owe  to  my 
position,  as  Mrs.  President,  demands  that  I  should  not 
hesitate  any  longer  to  act." 

The  spirited  lady  kept  her  word.  Ever  after  this, 
she  either  led 'the  promenade  with  the  President,  or 
that  dignitary  walked  alone  or  in  company  with  some 
gentleman. 

It  has  long  been  the  custom  for  the  President  to 
give  a  series  of  state  dinners  during  the  session  of  Con 
gress,  to  which  the  various  Members  of  that  body,  the 
higher  Government  officials,  and  the  Diplomatic  Corps 
are  invited.  In  order  to  be  able  to  entertain  each  one 
of  these  celebrities  it  is  necessary  to  give  about  two 
dinners  per  week.  The  custom  was  not  much  observed 
during  Mr.  Lincoln's  administration,  though  it  has  been 
revived  by  his  successor.  A  recent  writer  gives  the 
following  account  of  the  cause  of  the  change : 

"The  day  after  the  levee  (January  2, 1862)  I  went 
to  the  White  House.  Mrs.  Lincoln  said  to  me : 

"  '  I  have  an  idea.  These  are  war  times,  and  we 
must  be  as  economical  as  possible.  You  know  the 
President  is  expected  to  give  a  series  of  state  dinners 
every  winter,  and  these  dinners  are  very  costly.  Now 


Of   THE   NATIONAL    CAPITAL.  245 

I  want  to  avoid  this  expense ;  and  my  idea  is,  that  if  I 
give  three  large  receptions,  the  state  dinners  can  be 
scratched  from  the  programme.  What  do  you  think 
of  it  ? ' 

"  '  I  think  you  are  right,  Mrs.  Lincoln.' 

"  '  I  am  glad  to  hear  you  say  so.  If  I  can  make 
Mr.  Lincoln  take  the  same  view  of  the  case,  I  shall  not 
fail  to  put  the  idea  into  practice.' 

"  Before  I  left  her  room  that  day,  Mr.  Lincoln 
came  in.  She  at  once  stated  the  case  to  him.  He 
pondered  the  question  a  few  minutes  before  answer 
ing. 

"  '  Mother,  I  am  afraid  your  plan  will  not  work.1 

" '  But  it  will  work,  if  you  only  determine  that  it 
shall  work.' 

"  '  It  is  breaking  in  on  the  regular  custom,'  he  mild 
ly  replied. 

" '  But  you  forget,  father,  these  are  war  times,  and 
old  customs  can  be  done  away  with  for  the  once.  The 
idea  is  economical,  you  must  admit/ 

" '  Yes,  mother,  but  we  must  think  of  something 
besides  economy.' 

'"  I  do  think  of  something  else.  Public  receptions 
are  more  democratic  than  stupid  state  dinners — are 
more  in  keeping  with  the  spirit  <}f  the  institutions  of 
our  country,  as  you  would  say  if  called  upon  to  make 
a  stump  speech.  There  are  a  great  many  strangei's  in 
the  city,  foreigners  and  others,  whom  we  can  entertain 
at  our  receptions,  but  whom  we  cannot  invite  to  our 
dinners.' 

14 '  I  believe  you  are  right,  mother.    You  argue  the 


246  THE    SIGHTS    AND    SECRETS 

point  well.  I  think  that  we  shall  have  to  decide  on 
the  receptions.' 

"  So  the  day  was  carried.  The  question  was  de 
cided,  and  arrangements  were  made  for  the  first  recep 
tion.  It  was  now  January,  and  cards  were  issued  for 
February.'1 

These  receptions  were  discontinued  after  the  first 
one,  until  1864,  in  consequence  of  the  death  of  little 
Willie  Lincoln,  the  President's  son,  which  plunged  the 
entire  household  into  the  deepest  grief. 

IMPERTINENT   GOSSIP. 

The  President  and  his  family  are  much  annoyed  by 
the  impertinent  curiosity  of  which  they  are  the  objects. 
There  are  scores  of  persons  in  Washington,  some  of 
whom  are  doubtless  well-meaning  people,  who  are  so 
ignorant  of  the  common  decencies  of  society,  as  to  seek 
to  lay  bare  before  the  public  every  incident  of  the 
private  life  of  the  family  at  the  White  House.  The 
whole  city  rings  with  gossip  upon  this  topic,  much  of 
which  finds  its  way  into  the  columns  of  the  newspaper 
press  in  various  parts  of  the  land,  to  the  great  annoy 
ance  of  its  victims.  There  are  people  who  can  tell 
you  how  the  President  gets  out  of  bed  in  the  morning, 
how  he  dresses,  breakfasts,  picks  his  teeth,  what  he 
talks  about  in  the  privacy  of  his  family,  and  a  thous 
and  and  one  other  such  private  details,  until  you  turn 
from  your  informant  with  the  most  intense  disgust. 
It  is  said  that  much  of  this  comes  from  the  servants 
employed  in  the  Executive  Mansion,  who  seem  to  think 
it  adds  to  their  importance  to  retail  such  scandal. 


OF   THE    NATIONAL    CAPITAL.  247 

During  Mr.  Lincoln's  'administration  the  gossips  of 
Washington  were  especially  busy.  They  managed  tc 
ond  out  almost  every  thing*  that  transpired  in  hia 
family.  The  poor  man  could  scarcely  open  his  lips 
without  his  lightest  and  most  confidential  remarks 
being  echoed  and  repeated  at  every  fireside  in  Wash 
ington.  Mrs.  Lincoln  was  terribly  persecuted  in  this 
way.  Doubtless  she  had  her  faults — a  perfect  woman 
being  a  rarity — but  the  gossips  made  her  out  a  mon 
ster  of  conceit  and  vulgarity.  It  was  in  vain  that 
those  who  knew  her  best  contradicted  such  reports. 
The  gossips  were  the  more  numerous,  and  by  far  the 
more  active.  She  was  watched  with  a  vigilance  that 
would  have  made  her  life  insupportable  had  she  been. 
a  woman  of  less  independence,  and  even  her  sacred 
grief  as  mother  and  wife  in  the  two  great  afflictions 
which  fell  upon  her  in  Washington,  was  not  respected. 
Her  milliners  and  modistes  were  urged  to  reveal  the 
secrets  of  her  wardrobe,  the  mysteries  of  her  toilette 
(held  more  sacred  by  modern  matrons  than  those  of 
the  Botia  Dea  were  by  the  mothers  of  Rome)  were 
penetrated,  and  each  fresh  discovery  was  laid  before 
the  public  with  the  utmost  unscrupulousness. 

Nor  must  it  be  supposed  that  such  pitiful  gossip 
was  to  be  heard  only  in  the  lower  walks  of  society. 
The  elite,  the  most  exclusive  of  the  city,  were  the  busi 
est  and  the  most  merciless.  Your  fine  ladies,  whose 
womanly  pride  was  equalled  only  by  their  charity, 
were  eager  to  search  out  and  reveal  the  secrets  of  the 
White  House.  And  not  only  women  engaged  in  this 
contemptible  business,  but  men,  gray- haired,  bearded, 


248  THE    SIGHTS    AND    SECRETS 

and  bewhiskered  men,  nigh  in  the  service  of  the  Stat« 
Itod  in  the  confidence  of  the  President,  debased  them 
eelves  and  degraded  their  manhood  by  endeavoring  to 
surpass  their  wives  and  daughters  in  such  gossip. 

Every  year  this  goes  on,  and  every  new  occupant 
of  the  White  House  is  subjected  to  such  persecutions. 

DEATH   IN   THE   WHITE  HOUSE. 

Until  a  few  years  ago,  it  was  a  happy  reflection 
with  our  people  that  Death  had  but  twice  invaded 
the  White  House  since  its  doors  were  first  opened  to 
receive  the  ruler  of  the  nation.  Presidents  Harrison 
and  Taylor  died  there,  but  their  predecessors  and  suc 
cessors  had  left  it  as  they  had  entered  it. 

During  Mr.  Lincoln's  term,  however,  the  King  of 
Terrors  twice  crossed  the  threshold,  and  spread  sorrow 
throughout  the  palace.  The  first  of  these  occasions 
was  the  death  of  Willie  Lincoln,  a  younger  son  of 
the  President.  The  child  was  a  great  favorite  with 
his  father,  who  was  terribly  stricken  by  his  loss.  The 
late  N.  P.  Willis  has  left  the  following  description  of 
the  scene  at  the  White  House  on  the  day  of  the 
funeral : 

"  On  the  day  of  the  funeral  I  went,  before  the 
hour,  to  take  a  near  farewell  look  at  the  dear  boy ; 
for  they  had  embalmed  him  to  send  home  to  the 
West — to  sleep  under  the  sod  of  his  own  valley — 
and  the  coffin-lid  was  to  be  closed  before  the  service. 
The  family  had  just  taken  their  leave  of  him,  and  the 
servants  and  nurses  were  seeing  him  for  the  last  time 
• — and  with  tears  and  sobs  wholly  unrestrained,  for  he 


OF   THE   NATIONAL   CAPITAL.  249 

was  loved  like  an  idol  by  every  one  of  them.  He 
lay  with  eyes  closed — his  brown  hair  parted  as  we 
had  known  it — pale  in  the  slumber  of  death ;  but 
otherwise  unchanged,  for  he  was  dressed  as  if  for  the 
evening,  and  held  in  one  of  his  hands,  crossed  upon 
his  breast,  a  bunch  of  exquisite  flowers — a  message 
coming  from  his  mother,  while  we  were  looking  upon 
him,  that  those  flowers  might  be  preserved  for  her. 
She  was  lying  sick  on  her  bed,  worn  out  with  grief 
and  overwatching. 

"  The  funeral  was  very  touching.  Of  the  enter- 
taimnents  in  the  East  Room  the  boy  had  been — for 
those  who  now  assembled  more  especially — a  most 
life-giving  variation.  With  his  bright  face,  and  his 
apt  greetings  and  replies,  he  was  remembered  in 
every  part  of  that  crimson-curtained  hall,  built  only 
for  pleasure — of  all  the  crowds,  each  night,  certainly 
the  one  least  likely  to  be  death's  first  mark.  He  was 
his  father's  favorite.  They  were  intimates — often  seen 
hand  in  hand.  And  there  sat  the  man,  with  a  bur 
den  on  his  brain,  at  which  the  world  marvels — bent, 
now,  with  the  load  at  both  heart  and  brain — stagger 
ing  under  a  blow  like  the  taking  from  him  of  his 
child !  His  men  of  power  sat  around  him — McClel- 
lan,  with  a  moist  eye,  when  he  bowed  to  the  prayer, 
as  I  could  see  from  where  I  stood ;  and  Chase  and 
Seward,  with  their  austere  features  at  work ;  and 
Senators,  and  ambassadors,  and  soldiers,  all  strug 
gling  with  their  tears — great  hearts  sorrowing  with 
the  President,  as  a  stricken  man  and  a  brother." 

The  parting   between  father  and  son  was  not  so 


250  THE    SIGHTS    AND    SECRETS 

long  as  had  been  expected.  But  three  years  elapsed, 
and  the  lifeless  form  of  the  murdered  President  was 
borne  into  the  East  Room,  and  laid  in  sorrowful  state, 
amidst  the  agonized  mourning  of  a  great  people.  In 
almost  the  same  spot  where  he  had  stood  to  look  his 
last  upon  the  face  of  his  dear  boy,  all  that  was  mor 
tal  of  the  Martyr  lay,  all  unconscious  of  the  wild 
storm  of  grief  that  was  raging  over  the  land  for  him. 
Around  him  gathered  the  magnates  of  the  Republic, 
men  rich  in  honors,  wisdom,  and  experience,  all  terri 
fied,  dumb  with  dismay.  The  firm  hand  was  gone 
from  the  helm,  and,  for  a  while,  the  ship  of  State 
drifted  helplessly  upon  the  dark  waters  which  en 
compassed  it.  Then,  with  standards  draped  and 
drooping,  bells  tolling,  and  cannon  booming  a  mourn 
ful  dirge,  the  body  was  borne  away  from  the  great 
hall,  through  the  crowded  cities  of  the  land,  each  of 
which  showered  its  highest  and  proudest  honors  upon 
it,  while  the  whole  nation  mourned  as  it  had  never 
mourned  before  since  Washington  died,  and  laid  in 
the  tomb  in  that  great  Western  land,  with  which  his 
fame  is  so  inseparably  connected. 

A   NEW    WHITE   HOTTSE. 

Measures  have  been  actively  set  on  foot  to  secure 
the  erection  of  a  new  mansion  for  the  President.  The 
great  age  of  the  present  building  and  the  unhealthi- 
ness  of  the  location  are  serious  objections  to  it.  The 
Commissioner  of  .Public  Buildings  has  frequently  de 
clared  that  it  is  almost  impossible  to  keep  it  in  proper 
repair,  and  that  it  would  be  far  cheaper  to  erect  a  new 


OP   THE   NATIONAL   CAPITAL.  251 

mansion  than  to  put  upon  this  one  all  the  improve* 
ments  it  needs.  A  bill  has  been  introduced  in  Con* 
gress  for  this  purpose,  and  as  that  body  is  well  aware 
of  the  importance  of  and  necessity  for  a  change,  the 
measure  will  doubtless  pass  both  Houses  without  any 
difficulty. 


252 


IX. 

THE    JUDICIARY. 

THE  third  coordinate  "branch  of  the  Government 
is  the  Judiciary,  which  consists  of  a  Supreme  Court, 
Circuit  Courts,  District  Courts,  and  Court  of  Claims. 
Our  purpose  is  to  deal  only  with  the  courts  sitting  in 
Washington  City. 

THE   SUPREME   COUKT. 

The  Supreme  Court  of  the  United  States  is  the 
highest  and  most  august  legal  tribunal  in  the  land. 
It  consists  of  a  Chief  Justice  and  eight  Associate 
Justices,  all  of  whom  are  appointed  by  the  President, 
and  hold  office  during  good  behavior.  Five  of  these 
constitute  a  quorum  for  the  transaction  of  business. 
The  Court  holds  one  session  annually,  commencing  on 
the  first  Monday  in  December,  and  sits  daily  during 
the  term,  Sundays  excepted,  from  11  A.  M.,  until  3 
p.  M.  The  Justices,  besides  sitting  annually  in  Wash 
ington,  are  each  judges  of  the  Circuit  Courts.  Their 
circuits  embrace  the  various  States  of  the  Union, 
which  are  fairly  divided  amongst  them,  and  after  the 
adjournment  of  the  Supreme  Court,  they  begin  to 
hold  their  Circuit  Courts. 

The  officers  of  the  Supreme  Court  are  the  Attor 
ney-General,  a  clerk,  deputy  clerk,  reporter,  marshal, 


OP  THE  NATIONAL  CAPITAL.          253 

and  crier.  The  attorneys  and  counsellors  practicing 
in  this  Court  are  few  in  number,  and  are  men  of  high 
character  and  great  ability.  They  must  have  had 
three  years  practice  in  the  Supreme  Court  of  the 
State  in  which  they  reside,  and  must  be  men  of  fair 
private  and  professional  reputation. 

The  Supreme  Court  has  exclusive  jurisdiction  over 
all  civil  controversies  in  which  a  State  is  a  party,  ex 
cept  in  those  between  a  State  and  its  own  citizens.  In 
cases  between  a  State  and  citizens  of  another  State,  or 
aliens,  its  jurisdiction  is  original,  but  not  exclusive. 
The  trials  of  issues  in  fact  are  by  jury,  but  most  of 
the  cases  brought  before  it  are  decided  by  the  Court 
It  has  appellate  jurisdiction  from  the  State  and  Cir 
cuit  Courts,  in  cases  which  are  provided  for  by  law. 

THE   COUET   KOOM. 

The  Court  formerly  sat  in  the  hall  now  used  for 
the  law  library,  but,  in  1860,  moved  into  its  present 
hall,  which  was  the  old  Senate  Chamber.  The  hall 
is  small,  but  one  of  the  handsomest  in  the  Capitol. 
It  is  semicircular  in  form,  is  seventy-five  feet  long, 
forty-five  feet  high,  and  forty-five  feet  wide  in  the 
centre,  which  is  its  widest  part.  A  row  of  hand 
some  green  pillars  of  Potomac  marble  extends  across 
the  eastern,  or  rear  side  of  the  hall,  and  the  wall 
which  sweeps  around  the  western  side,  is  ornamented 
with  pilasters  of  the  same  material.  The  ceiling  is 
in  the  form  of  a  dome,  is  very  beautiful,  and  is  orna 
mented  with  square  caissons  of  stucco.  A  large  sky 
light  in  the  centre  of  the  room  lights  the  chamber. 


254  THE   SIGHTS    AND    SECRETS 

A  Handsome  white  marble  clock  is  placed  ove^  the 
main  door,  which  is  on  the, western  side.  Opposite, 
from  the  eastern  wall,  a  large  gilded  eagle  spreads  his 
wings  above  a  raised  platform,  railed  in,  and  taste 
fully  draped,  along  which  are  arranged  the  comfort- 
able  arm-chairs  of  the  Chief  Justice  and  his  associates, 
the  former  being  in  the  centre.  Above  them  is  still 
the  old  "  eastern  gallery  of  the  Senate,"  so  famous  in 
the  history  of  the  country.  The  desks  and  seats  of 
the  lawyers  are  ranged  in  front  of  the  Court,  and 
enclosed  by  a  tasteful  railing.  The  floor  is  covered 
with  soft,  heavy  carpets ;  cushioned  benches  for  spet?- 
tators  are  placed  along  the  semicircular  wall,  and 
busts  of  John  Jay,  John  Rutledge,  Oliver  Ellsworth, 
and  John  Marshall,  former  Chief  Justices,  adorn  the 
hall.  After  the  political  feeling  of  the  present  time 
dies  out,  a  bust  of  Chief  Justice  Taney  will  no  doubt 
complete  the  group. 

With  the  exception  of  a  few  of  the  internal  ar 
rangements,  which  have  been  changed  to  suit  the 
convenience  of  the  Court,  the  room  is  very  much  as 
the  Senate  left  it.  It  is  one  of  the  most  famous  halls 
in  the  land.  Here  were  uttered  those  matchless  speci 
mens  of  eloquence,  which  the  Senators  of  to-day  can 
admire,  but  not  equal.  Here  Clay,  Calhoun,  Web- 
bter,  Hayne,  Douglas,  and  their  peers,  lived  their 
great,  historic  lives,  and  built  up  those  splendid 
monuments  to  their  fame,  which  shall  last  until  the 
latest  age  of  time.  The  place  seems  haunted  with 
the  memories  of  the  great  men  who  have  tenanted  it. 
Close  your  eyes,  and  you  can  imagine  them  all  in  their 


OF   THE   NATIONAL    CAPITAL.  255 

places  again.  "What  times  were  those !  and  what 
giants  the  little  hall  held  then  !  Will  such  days  or 
such  men  ever  come  to  us  again  ?  The  mantles  of 
our  great  dead  have  fallen  upon  none  of  their  suc 
cessors,  and  the  dead  are  greater  than  the  living. 

Sitting  in  the  old  hall,  not  long  since,  listening  to 
the  arguments  in  the  "  Legal  Tender  Case,"  we  were 
carried  back  to  the  old  days  when  a  nobler  and  less 
sordid  strife  took  place  under  the  beautiful  dome. 
Unconsciously  the  scene  came  back  more  and  more 
forcibly,  and  the  black- robed  justices  and  the  smooth 
tongued  advocates  faded  from  our  view.  The  hall 
seemed  once  more  full  of  the  great  departed.  The 
old  desks  and  the  red  leather  arm-chairs  were  once 
more  in  their  semicircular  rows,  but  the  Senators  had 
lost  their  careless,  inattentive  air,  and  were  leaning 
forward  in  rapt  attention,  hanging  breathlessly  upon 
the  orator's  every  word.  Even  the  gaunt,  stern  face 
of  the  great  Carolinian  in  the  Vice-President's  chair 
glowed  with  an  answering  fire,  as  the  charmed  words 
stirred  his  soul,  and  for  once  took  captive  his  intel 
lect.  And  the  orator,  how  his  tall  form  towered 
above  the  heads  of  those  who  surrounded  him — 
intellectual  giants  all ;  how  the  large  ox  eyes  glowed 
with  a  divine  radiance,  and  how  the  grand  voice 
rolled  its  volumes  of  eloquence  through  the  cham 
ber.  He  is  closing  his  oration,  and  he  pauses  for  a 
moment,  and  sends  one  sweeping  glance  around  the 
hall.  Even  his  political  opponents  are  subdued,  and 
they  draw  nearer  so  that  they  may  not  lose  one  sin 
gle  word.  He  is  pleading  for  that  Union,  that  Con- 


256  THE    SIGHTS    AND    SECRETS 

stitution  he  loved  so  well,  and  of  which  he  was  so 
proud,  and,  ceasing  to  speak  to  those  within  the 
sound  of  his  voice,  pours  forth  his  grand  appeal  to 
posterity,  at  which  the  heart  throbs  now  as  thrill- 
ingly  as  then,  though  nearly  forty  years  have  passed 
away  since  the  words  were  spoken  : 

"  I  have  not  allowed  myself,  sir,  to  look  beyond 
the  Union  to  see  what  might  lie  hidden  in  the  dark 
recesses  behind.  I  have  not  coolly  weighed  the 
chances  of  preserving  liberty  when  the  bonds  that 
unite  us  together  shall  be  broken  asunder.  I  have 
not  accustomed  myself  to  hang  over  the  precipice  of 
disunion,  to  see  whether,  with  my  short  sight,  I  can 
fathom  the  depth  of  the  abyss  below;  nor  could  I 
regard  him  as  a  safe  counsellor  in  the  affairs  of  this 
government,  whose  thoughts  should  be  mainly  bent 
on  considering,  not  how  the  Union  may  be  best  pre 
served,  but  how  tolerable  might  be  the  condition  of 
the  people,  when  it  should  be  broken  up  and  de 
stroyed.  While  the  Union  lasts,  we  have  high,  ex 
citing,  gratifying  prospects  spread  out  before  us,  for 
us  and  our  children.  Beyond  that,  I  seek  not  to 
penetrate  the  veil.  God  grant  that  in  my  day,  at 
least,  that  curtain  may  not  rise  !  God  grant  that  on 
my  vision  never  may  be  opened  what  lies  behind  1 
When  my  eyes  shall  be  turned  to  behold  for  the  last 
time  the  sun  in  heaven,  may  I  not  see  him  shining  on 
the  broken  and  dishonored  fragments  of  a  once  glo 
rious  Union ;  on  States  dissevered,  discordant,  and 
belligerent ;  on  a  land  rent  with  civil  feuds,  and 
drenched,  it  may  be,  with  fraternal  blood  !  Let  theii 


OF   THE    NATIONAL    CAPITAL.  257 

last  feeble  and  lingering  glance  rather  behold  the 
gorgeous  ensign  of  the  Republic,  now  known  and 
honored  throughout  the  earth,  still  full  high  ad 
vanced,  its  arms  and  trophies  streaming  in  their 
original  lustre,  not  a  stripe  erased  or  polluted,  noi 
a  single  star  obscured,  bearing  for  its  motto  no  such 
miserable  interrogatory  as  '  What  is  all  this  worth  ? ' 
nor  those  other  words  of  delusion  and  folly,  l  Liberty 
first,  and  Union  afterwards  ; '  but  everywhere,  spread 
all  over  in  characters  of  living  light,  blazing  on  all  its 
ample  folds,  as  they  float  over  the  sea  and  over  the 
land,  and  in  every  wind  under  the  whole  heavens,  that 
other  sentiment,  dear  to  every  true  American  heart — 
*  Liberty  and  Union,  now  and  forever,  one  and  in 
separable  ! ' 

THE    COURT   IN   SESSION. 

The  chamber  of  the  Supreme  Court  is  one  of  the 
pleasantest  places  in  the  Capitol.  The  interest  which 
attaches  to  the  old  hall,  is  not  lessened  by  the  grave 
and  dignified  appearances  of  the  black-robed  justices, 
and  the  quiet  deportment  of  the  members  of  the  bar. 
Coming  from  either  the  House  or  the  Senate,  you  seem 
to  have  entered  another  world.  Everything  is  so  calm 
and  peaceful,  so  thoroughly  removed  from  the  noise 
and  confusion  of  the  political  strife  going  on  in  the 
other  parts  of  the  Capitol,  that  the  change  is  indeed 
delightful. 

The  Court  consists  of  the  Chief-Justice,  Salmon 
Portland  Chase,  of  Ohio,  and  Associate  Justices  Samuel 
Nelson,  of  New  York ;  Robert  C.  Grier,  of  Pennsyl 
vania  ;  Nathan  Clifford,  of  Maine :  Noah  H.  Swayne. 
17 


258  THE    SIGHTS    AND    SECRETS 

of  Ohio ;  Samuel  F.  Miller,  of  Iowa ;  David  Davis,  of 
Illinois  ;  and  Stephen  J.  Field,  of  California.  There 
is  one  vacancy,  which  will  doubtless  be  filled  during  the 
next  administration.  A  more  dignified  and  imposing 
body  of  men  it  would  be  hard  to  find.  They  represent 
well  the  majesty  of  the  land. 

At  eleven  o'clock  in  the  morning,  the  door  just 
back  of  the  judges'  platform  is  thrown  open,  and  the 
Marshal  of  the  Court  enters,  walking  backward,  with 
his  gaze  fastened  upon  the  door.  Upon  reaching  the 
centre  of  the  chamber,  he  pauses,  and  cries  in  a  loud 
voice, 

"  The  Honorable,  the  Judges  of  the  Supreme  Court 
of  the  United  States." 

All  present  in  the  chamber  immediately  rise  to 
their  feet,  and  remain  standing  respectfully.  Then, 
through  the  open  door,  headed  by  the  Chief-Justice, 
enter  the  members  of  the  Court,  one  by  one,  in  their 
large,  flowing  robes  of  black  silk.  There  is  something 
very  attractive  about  these  old  men,  nearly  all  of  whom 
have  passed  into  the  closing  years  of  life.  They  ascend 
their  platform,  range  themselves  in  front  of  their  seats, 
and  the  Chief-Justice  makes  a  sign  to  the  "  Crier,"  who 
immediately  makes  the  following  proclamation : 

"  O  yea  !  O  yea  !  O  yea  !  All  persons  having 
business  before  the  Honorable,  the  Judges  of  the 
Supreme  Court  of  the  United  States,  are  admonished 
to  draw  near  and  give  their  attendance,  for  the  Court 
is  now  in  Session.  God  save  the  United  States,  and 
this  Honorable  Court !  " 

The  Judges  and  other  persons  take  their  seats,  and 
the  business  of  the  day  begins. 


OF    THE   NATIONAL    CAPITAL.  259 


THE   CHIEF-JUSTICE. 

The  Chief- Justice  of  the  United  States  is  the  high 
est  legal  officer  in  the  Republic.  His  position  is  one 
of  the  proudest  in  the  world,  and  he  is  looked  upon 
by  the  people  with  more  confidence  and  respect  than 
any  other  member  of  the  Government.  It  has  rarely 
been  the  case  that  the  maddest  of  politicians  have 
ventured  to  question  the  integrity  of  the  Court,  and 
the  Chief-Justice  has  almost  always  been  safe  from 
political  persecution. 

The  office  has  been  filled  from  the  first  by  men  of 
high  character  and  great  ability.  The  first  Chief- 
Justice  was  John  Jay,  of  New  York,  appointed  Sep 
tember  26,  1789.  In  1*794,  Chief- Justice  Jay  resigned 
his  position  to  accept  the  post  of  Envoy  Extraordinary 
to  England. 

President  Washington  then  appointed  John  Rut- 
ledge,  of  South  Carolina,  in  1795,  during  a  recess  of 
the  Senate.  Mr.  Rutledge  presided  at  the  August 
term  of  the  Court  in  1795,  but  in  the  following  De 
cember,  the  Senate  refused  to  confirm  his  nomination. 
William  Gushing,  of  Massachusetts,  at  that  time  one 
of  the  Associate  Justices,  was  then  appointed  and  con 
firmed  by  the  Senate,  in  January,  1796,  but  he  declined 
to  serve. 

Oliver  Ellsworth,  of  Connecticut,  was  then  ap 
pointed.  He  was  confirmed  by  the  Senate  March  4, 
1796.  At  the  close  of  the  August  term,  1799,  he  re 
signed  his  position,  in  order  to  accept  the  appointment 
of  Minister  Plenipotentiary  and  Envoy  Extraordinary 


260  THE    SIGHTS    AND    SECRETS 

to  France.  In  1800,  John  Jay,  of  New  York,  was 
again  appointed  by  the  President,  and  confirmed  by 
the  Senate  ;  but  he  declined  to  serve. 

CHIEF-JUSTICE   MAESHALL. 

John  Marshall,  of  Virginia,  was  appointed  by 
President  John  Adams,  in  January,  1801,  and  con 
firmed  by  the  Senate.  At  the  time  of  his  appoint 
ment,  he  was  Secretary  of  State.  He  continued  to  act 
in  both  capacities  until  the  close  of  President  Adams' 
term  in  March,  1801.  He  died  in  1835. 

Judge  Marshall  was  justly  considered  one  of  the 
purest  and  most  learned  Judges  that  ever  sat  on  the 
bench.  He  had  served  on  the  personal  staff  of  Wash 
ington  during  the  He  volution,  and  was  a  man  of  the 
finest  attainments.  He  was  noted  for  his  plainness  of 
person  and  address,  and  his  child-like  simplicity  and 
freshness  of  character.  His  exceeding  carelessness  of 
dress  once  caused  the  landlord  of  a  public  house  to 
refuse  to  entertain  him,  mine  host  being  suspicious  that 
he  did  not  have  money  enough  to  pay  his  bill. 

One  day  a  Mr.  P.,  from  the  country,  came  to  Rich 
mond,  Va.,  for  the  purpose  of  looking  after  a  case  of 
his,  which  was  to  be  argued  before  the  Court  of  Ap 
peals.  Standing  in  the  porch  of  the  Eagle  Hotel,  one 
morning,  he  asked  the  landlord  to  recommend  to  him 
some  good  lawyer,  capable  of  undertaking  the  case. 
At  this  moment,  Marshall,  then  a  young  man,  sauntered 
up,  dressed  carelessly  in  a  plain  suit  of  linen.  His  hat 
was  held  under  his  arm,  and  was  filled  with  cherries, 
which  he  was  eating  as  Jie  walked  along  the  street. 


OF   THE   NATIONAL    CAPITAL.  261 

He  stopped  a  moment  to  exchange  greetings  with  the 
landlord,  who  pointed  him  out  to  Mr.  P.  as  the  best 
man  to  conduct  his  case.  The  old  gentleman,  however, 
refused  to  engage  him,  declaring  his  belief  that  a  man 
to  careless  as  to  his  appearance  could  not  be  a  good 
lawyer.  He  went  to  the  office  of  the  Clerk  of  the 
Court,  and  was  recommended  by  that  official  to  employ 
Marshall,  but  he  again  refused  to  do  so.  An  old 
gentleman,  Mr.  V.  by  name,  and  a  lawyer  by  profes 
sion,  now  entered.  His  remarkable  appearance,  pow 
dered  wig,  and  handsome  dress,  made  such  an  impres 
sion  on  Mr.  P.  that  he  at  once  engaged  him  to  conduct 
his  case.  The- Court  was  opened  a  few  minutes  later, 
and  in  one  of  the  first  cases  called,  Mr.  V.  and  Mr. 
Marshall  both  appeared.  Mr.  P.  discovered  his  mis 
take.  Mr.  V.  was  a  man  of  little  ability  or  force,  while 
Marshall  was  a  giant  in  intellect.  He  at  once  sought 
ought  the  young  lawyer,  confessed  to  him  his  error, 
and  the  causes  which  led  to  it.  He  told  him  he  had 
come  to  Richmond  with  one  hundred  dollars,  as  his 
lawyer's  fee.  He  had  paid  Mi*.  V.,  and  had  only  five 
dollars  left.  If  Marshall  would  consent,  he  would 
cheerfully  give  him  this  sum  for  assisting  in  the  case. 
"  Marshall,  pleased  with  the  incident,  accepted  the 
offer,  not  however,  without  passing  a  sly  joke  at  the 
omnipotence  of  a  powdered  wig  and  black  coat." 

"  The  venerable  Captain  Philip  Slaughter  was  a 
messmate  of  Marshall  during  the  Revolution.  He 
says  Marshall  was  the  best  tempered  man  he  ever 
knew.  During  their  sufferings  at  Valley  Forge,  nothing 
discouraged,  nothing  disturbed  him;  if  he  had  only 


262  THE    SIGHTS    AND    SECRETS 

bread  to  eat  it  was  just  as  well ;  if  only  meat  it  made 
no  difference.  If  any  of  the  officers  murmured  at 
their  deprivations,  he  would  shame  them  by  good- 
natured  raillery,  or  encourage  them  by  his  own  exu 
berance  of  spirits.  He  was  an  excellent  companion, 
and  idolized  by  the  soldiers  and  his  brother  officers, 
whose  gloomy  hours  were  enlivened  by  his  inexhaust 
ible  fund  of  anecdote. 

"  For  sterling  honesty  no  man  ever  exceeded  Mar 
shall.  He  never  would,  knowingly,  argue  in  defence 
of  injustice,  or  take  a  legal  advantage  at  the  expense 
of  moral  honesty.  A  case  of  the  latter  is  in  point. 
He  became  an  endorser  on  a  bond  amounting  to  seve 
ral  thousand  dollars.  The  drawer  failed,  and  Marshall 
paid  it,  although  he  knew  it  could  be  avoided,  inas 
much  as  the  holder  had  advanced  the  amount  at  more 
than  legal  interest." 

Upon  one  occasion  he  was  standing  in  the  market 
in  Richmond,  Va.,  with  his  basket  containing  his  pur 
chases  on  his  arm,  when  he  was  accosted  by  a  fashion 
able  young  gentleman  who  had  just  purchased  a  tur 
key.  The  young  man's  foolish  pride  would  not  allow 
him  to  carry  the  fowl  through  the  streets  ;  and,  taking 
the  Judge  for  a  countryman,  he  asked  him  to  carry  it 
home  for  him.  The  request  was  promptly  granted ; 
and,  when  the  young  man's  home  was  reached,  he 
offered  the  supposed  countryman  a  shilling  for  his 
trouble.  The  money  was  courteously  refused;  and, 
upon  asking  the  name  of  the  person  who  had  rendered 
him  the  service,  the  young  man  was  not  a  little  aston 
ished  and  chagrined  to  learn  that  his  thanks  were  due 
to  the  Chief-Justice  of  the  United  States. 


OP  THE  NATIONAL  CAPITAL.  263 

A  bet  was  once  made  that  the  Judge  could  not 
dress  himself  without  exhibiting  some  mark  of  care 
lessness.  He  good-humoredly  accepted  the  wager.  A 
supper  was  to  be  given  him,  upon  these  conditions : 
If  his  dress  was  found  to  be  faultlessly  neat  upon  that 
occasion,  the  parties  offering  the  wager  were  to  pay 
for  the  entertainment ;  but  if  they  detected  any  care 
lessness  in  his  attire,  the  expense  was  to  fall  upon  him. 
Upon  the  appointed  evening,  the  guests  and  the  Judge 
met  at  the  place  agreed  upon ;  and,  to  the  surprise  of 
all,  the  Judge's  dress  seemed  faultless.  The  supper 
followed,  Judge  Marshall  being  in  high  spirits  over  his 
victory.  Near  the  close  of  the  repast,  however,  one 
of  the  guests,  who  sat  next  him,  chanced  to  drop  his 
napkin,  and,  stooping  down  to  pick  it  up,  discovered 
that  the  Judge  had  put  on  one  of  his  stockings  with 
the  wrong  side  out.  Of  course  the  condition  of  affairs 
was  immediately  changed,  and  amidst  the  uproarious 
laughter  of  his  companions,  the  Chief-Justice  acknowl 
edged  his  defeat. 

The  following  incident  in  his  life  is  said  to  have  oc 
curred  at  McGuire's  hotel,  in  Winchester,  Virginia : 

"  It  is  not  long  since  a  gentleman  was  travelling  in 
one  of  the  counties  of  Virginia,  and  about  the  close  of 
the  day  stopped  at  a  public  house  to  obtain  refresh 
ment,  and  spend  the  night.  He  had  been  there  but  a 
short  time  before  an  old  man  alighted  from  his  gig, 
with  the  apparent  intention  of  becoming  his  fellow- 
guest  at  the  same  house.  As  the  old  man  drove  up, 
he  observed  that  both  of  the  shafts  of  the  gig  were 


264  THE    SIGHTS    AND    SECRETS 

broken,  and  that  they  were  held  together  by  withes 
formed  from  the  bark  of  a  hickory  sapling.  Our  trav 
eller  observed  further  that  he  was  plainly  clad,  that 
his  knee-buckles  were  loosened,  and  that  something 
like  negligence  pervaded  his  dress. «  Conceiving  him 
to  be  one  of  the  honest  yeomanry  of  our  land,  the 
courtesies  of  strangers  passed  between  them,  and  they 
entered  the  tavern.  It  was  about  the  same  time  that 
an  addition  of  three  or  four  young  gentlemen  was 
made  to  their  number — most,  if  not  all  of  them,  of  the 
legal  profession.  As  soon  as  they  became  conveniently 
accommodated,  the  conversation  was  turned  by  the 
latter  upon  an  eloquent  harangue  which  had  that  day 
been  displayed  at  the  bar.  It  was  replied  by  the 
othei  that  he  had  witnessed,  the  same  day,  a  degree 
of  eloquence  no  doubt  equal,  but  it  was  from  the  pul 
pit.  Something  like  a  sarcastic  rejoinder  was  made 
to  the  eloquence  of  the  pulpit ;  and  a  warm  altercation 
ensued,  in  which  the  merits  of  the  Christian  religion 
became  the  subject  of  discussion.  From  six  o'clock 
until  eleven,  the  young  champions  wielded  the  sword 
of  argument,  adducing  with  ingenuity  and  ability, 
everything  that  could  be  said,  pro  and  con.  During 
this  protracted  period,  the  old  gentleman  listened  with 
the  meekness  and  modesty  of  a  child;  as  if  he  was 
adding  new  information  to  the  stores  of  his  own  mind ; 
or  perhaps  he  was  observing,  with  philosophic  eye,  the 
faculties  of  the  youthful  mind,  and  how  new  energies 
are  evolved  by  repeated  action ;  or,  perhaps,  with 
patriotic  emotion,  he  was  reflecting  upon  the  future 
destinies  of  his  country,  and  on  the  rising  generation, 


OF   TH»  NATIONAL    CAPITAL.  265 

upon  whom  these  future  destinies  must  devolve ;  or 
most  probably,  with  a  sentiment  of  moral  and  religious 
feeling,  he  was  collecting  an  argument  which — charac 
teristic  of  himself — no  art  would  '  be  able  to  elude> 
and  no  force  resist.1  Our  traveller  remained  a  specta 
tor,  and  took  no  part  in  what  was  said. 

"  At  last  one  of  the  young  men,  remarking  that  it 
was  impossible  to  combat  with  long  and  established 
prejudices,  wheeled  around,  and  with  some  familiarity 
exclaimed,  *  Well,  my  old  gentleman,  what  do  you 
think  of  these  things  ? '  If,  said  the  traveller,  a  streak 
of  vivid  lightning  had  at  that  moment  crossed  the 
room,  their  amazement  could  not  have  been  greater 
than  it  was  with  what  followed.  The  most  eloquent 
and  unanswerable  appeal  was  made  for  nearly  an  hour, 
by  the  old  gentleman,  that  he  ever  heard  or  read.  So 
perfect  was  his  recollection,  that  every  argument  urged 
against  the  Christian  religion  was  met  in  the  order  in 
which  it  was  advanced.  Hume's  sophistry  on  the  sub 
ject  of  miracles  was,  if  possible,  more  perfectly  an 
swered  than  it  had  already  been  done  by  Campbell. 
And  in  the  whole  lecture  there  was  so  much  simplicity 
and  energy,  pathos  and  sublimity,  that  not  another 
word  was  uttered.  An  attempt  to  describe  it,  said  the 
traveller,  would  be  an  attempt  to  paint  the  sunbeams. 
It  was  now  a  matter  of  curiosity  and  inquiry  who  the 
old  gentleman  was.  The  traveller  concluded  it  was  the 
preacher  from  whom  the  pulpit-eloquence  was  heard — 
but  no — it  was  the  Chief-Justice  of  the  United  States? 


266  THE    SIGHTS    AND    SECRETS 

CHIEF-JUSTICE   TANEY. 

Judge  Marshall  was  succeeded  by  Roger  Brooke 
Taney,  of  Maryland,  who  was  nominated  by  President 
Jackson,  and  confirmed  by  the  Senate  in  March,  1836. 
He  died  in  Washington  on  the  12th  of  October,  1864. 
He  was  a  man  of  pure  character,  vast  learning  and 
great  legal  ability,  and  in  every  way  a  fitting  successor 
to  John  Marshall.  His  decision  in  the  Dred  Scott 
Fugitive  Slave  case,  made  him  very  unpopular  with  the 
anti-slavery  party,  and  he  was  unjustly  and  cruelly 
assailed  for  it.  He  was  too  honest  not  to  decide  ac 
cording  to  his  convictions  of  duty,  and  too  fearless  to 
care  for  the  opposition  raised  against  him. 

Mr.  Samuel  Tyler,  of  Maryland,  has  recently  pre 
pared  a  memoir  of  him.  The  correspondent  of  a 
western  journal  *  relates  the  following  incidents  of  the 
Judge's  life,  upon  the  authority  of  that  gentleman. 

"  Judge  Taney,  as  you  know,  was  a  man  of  origi 
nally  tall  stature,  being  upward  of  six  feet  high,  but  a 
delicate  constitution  had  so  been  affected  by  his  close 
and  studious  habits  that  in  the  generation  in  which  he 
was  most  familiar  to  ourselves  he  had  become  bent  and 
warped,  so  that  his  skin  was  like  a  cracked  parchment, 
his  stature  bent,  and  he  walked  with  difficulty  and 
tardiness.  Nevertheless  his  hair  remained  nearly  of 
its  original  color ;  his  eyes  were  bright,  and  his  at 
tenuated  legs,  and  arms,  and  chest  were  always  digni- 
fiedly  clothed. 

"  Mr.  Tyler,  an  author,  as  I  have  said,  whose  books 

*  Cincinnati  Commercial. 


OP    THE   NATIONAL    CAPITAL.  267 

have  been  published  by  the  house  of  Lippincott,  at 
Philadelphia,  is  a  spirited  and  amiable  Maryland 
gentleman,  from  Frederick.  With  John  M.  Carlyle 
he  divided  the  confidence  of  Judge  Taney,  and,  there 
fore,  I  feel  that  in  relating  the  incisive  passage  of  our 
conversation,  I  am  perhaps  bringing  out  some  feature 
of  Chief-Justice  Taney's  life  which  may  be  useful  to 
the  age,  which  is  in  doubt  as  to  the  real  motive  princi 
ples  of  his  extraordinary  career.  Of  this  career  civil 
ization  will  judge  independently.  I  reproduce,  merely, 
the  verdict  of  a  friend. 

"  '  Was  Judge  Taney  rich,  Mr.  Tyler  ?  ' 

" '  No,  sir ;  always  poor.  He  lived  in  Blagden  row 
— the  row  of  stuccoed  houses  nearly  opposite  the  City 
Hall.  They  are  four-storied ;  an  irony  balcony  runs 
above  the  first  story ;  two  windows  adjoin  the  hall 
door.  His  daughters,  at  this  day,  live  upon  copying 
reports  and  papers  from  the  Department  of  the  Interior. 
One  of  them,  I  believe,  is  unmarried  ;  another  a  widow. 
They  are  in  as  nearly  a  state  of  indigence  as  I  care  to 
classify  ladies  so  tenderly  reared.  The  Judge  himself 
said  to  me,  during  the  war,  that  he  lamented  his 
narrow  means,  because  he  wanted  to  take  another 
newspaper,  and  could  not  afford  it.' 

"  *  He  had  not  always  lived  there  ? ' 

" '  No,  sir.  He  resided  in  Baltimore,  after  he  quitted 
Frederick,  down  to  a  comparatively  recent  period.  His 
birthplace  was  on  the  Chesapeake  Bay,  below  Anna 
polis,  and  his  grandparents  were  English  Catholics, 
who  settled  in  this  country  about  1700.  You  know 
that  his  public  offices  were  Attorney-General  of  Mary 


£68  THE    SIGHTS    AND    SECRETS 

land,  Secretary  of  the  Treasury,  and,  at  last,  Chief 
Justice.  He  has  often  told  me  that  the  first  was  the 
only  office  he  ever  coveted.  His  pride  of  State  was 
very  strong.  He  loved  Maryland,  and  wished  to  be 
interred  at  Frederick,  where  he  passed  the  majority 
of  his  private  life.' 

"  'And  is  he  buried  there  ? ' 

"  '  Yes,  sir ;  beside  his  wife,  who  was  the  sister  of 
Francis  Scott  Key,  author  of  the  "Star-Spangled 
Banner."  There  it  has  been  proposed  to  erect  a  monu 
ment  to  his  memory.  There  lie  all  those  members  of 
his  family  whom  he  loved  in  his  lifetime.  There,  sir, 
I  met  the  Chief-Justice  first,  one  of  his  townsmen.1 

" '  What  papers  did  he  take,  sir  ?  You  have  alluded 
to  his  love  of  contemporary  reading.' 

" '  He  took  the  New  York  papers,  the  National 
Intelligencer,  the  Globe,  the  Edinburgh,  North  British, 
Quarterly,  and  Westminster  Reviews  and  the  London 
Times,  regularly  down  to  his  death.  He  read  every 
article  in  them  also.' 

" '  Was  he  much  of  a  reconteur  ?  ' 

"'Yes,  upon  subjects  disconnected  with  himself; 
but  being  Chief-Justice  he  seemed  to  hold  his  personal 
affairs  in  a  jealous  regard,  being  fearful  that  they  might 
become  public  and  so  compromise  his  professional 
opinions.  To  me,  even,  whom  he  had  selected  to  write 
his  life,  if  I  found  it  worthy  enough,  he  would  seldom 
talk  upon  those  concerns  which  I  was  curious  to  know. 

"  '  In  what  year  was  Judge  Taney  appointed  Chief- 
Justice  ? ' 

"  *  In  1836,  sir.     There  never  was  a  country  so 


OF  THE  NATIONAL  CAPITAL.          269 

fortunate  in  its  Chief-Justices  as  the  United  States. 
The  two  terras  of  Marshall  and  Taney,  put  together 
extend  over  sixty  years.' 

" '  Taney  h'ad  not  literary  abilities,  like  Marshall.' 

" '  Yes,  he  had  abilities,  but  he  was  such  a 
thoroughly  devoted  lawyer,  who  refused  to  express 
opinions,  literary  or  otherwise,  which  might  seem  to 
obtain  the  sanction  of  the  name  of  the  Chief-Justice, 
and,  although  he  read  much,  he  seemed  to  compress 
his  mind  and  utterances  into  legal  channels  merely, 
and  looked  upon  his  court  with  an  eye  single.  Efforts 
were  made  to  drag  him  into  politics  at  many  periods 
of  his  life,  notably  during  the  Douglas-Breckinridge 
campaign.' 

"  '  What  case  was  that,  Mr.  Tyler  ? ' 

"  *  Well,  sir !  One  Mr.  Hughes,  of  Hagerstown,  an 
intimate  friend  of  Judge  Taney,  wrote  to  the  Judge 
in  the  heat  of  that  political  campaign,  saying  that  it 
was  affirmed  all  through  the  country  that  Judge  Taney 
had  declared  himself  in  favor  of  Mr.  Douglas  for  the 
Presidency.  Consequently,  the  Irish  Catholic  voters 
were  going  pell-mell  for  Mr.  Douglas.  And  Mr. 
Hughes,  who  believed  the  contrary  to  be  the  predilec 
tions  of  the  Chief-Justice,  wrote  to  the  latter  for  per 
mission  to  deny  that  he  had  expressed  himself  in  sup 
port  of  the  Little  Giant,  as  he  was  called.' 

u '  What  did  the  Chief-Justice  reply  ?  ' 

u<He  wrote,  in  a  letter  which  I  possess,  to  this 
effect — very  nearly  in  these  terms: 

"'Sir:  I  am  Chief- Justice  of  the  United  States. 
AS  such,  since  the  year  1836  I  have  never  cast  a  vote  I 


270  THE    SIGHTS    AND    SECRETS 

I  never  permit  any  retainer  or  under-officeholder  of 
mine  to  converse  with  me  upon  candidates  and  their 
prospects.  I  never  give  advice  or  render  service 
voluntarily  or  involuntarily,  upon  any  side.  And  so 
particular  am  I,  sir,  that  my  name  shall  never  appear, 
with  my  consent,  appended  to  any  politics,  that  I  re 
fuse  to  permit  you  to  deny  that  I  am  for  or  against 
any  body  at  this  juncture.  If  any  man  has  affirmed 
any  thing  on  the  credit  of  my  name,  I  hold  to  my 
neutrality  so  tenaciously  that  I  refuse  to  let  my  name 
be  used  for  any  denial,  even  of  an  unauthorized  false 
hood.' 

u '  There  were  probably  other  instances  of  his 
political  neutrality?' 

"  '  Yes.  I  recollect  that  at  one  time  the  marshal  of 
his  court,  being  a  stout  partisan,  wanted  to  go  to  the 
polls  in  his  official  capacity,  to  keep  order,  for  the 
Democrats  were  hard  pressed,  and  required  both 
physical  aid.  The  Chief-Justice  said  to  him :  '  Mr. 

Marshal ,' — he  always  gave  every  man  his  official 

term,  and  insisted  upon  being  entitled  to  his  own  name 
officially,  in  like  manner ;  '  Mr.  Marshal,  you  can  go 
to  the  polls,  sir,  like  every  citizen,  but  if  you  go  as 
marshal  of  my  court,  you  go  at  your  peril ! '  " 

CHIEF-JUSTICE    CHASE. 

Upon  the  death  of  Judge  Taney,  President  Lincoln 
was  overwhelmed  with  s6licitations  from  the  friends 
of  various  public  men,  each  one  urging  that  the  vacancy 
should  be  filled  by  the  appointment  of  his  favorite. 
After  a  careful  consideration  of  all  the  claims  present- 


OF  THE  NATIONAL  CAPITAL.          271 

ed  to  Lira,  Mr.  Lincoln  adhered  to  his  original  idea( 
and  on  the  6th  of  December,  1864,  nominated  Salmon 
Portland  Chase,  of  Ohio,  to  be  Chief-Justice,  which 
nomination  was  unanimously  confirmed  by  the  Senate, 
and  Mr.  Chase  was  sworn  into  his  office  on  the  15th  of 
December,  1864.  Says  Carpenter,  in  his  interesting 
narrative  of  his  "  Six  Months  at  the  White  House," 
"  Notwithstanding  his  apparent  hesitation  in  the  ap 
pointment  of  a  successor  to  Judge  Taney,  it  is  well 
known  to  his  most  intimate  friends,  that  '  there  had 
never  been  a  time  during  his  Presidency,  when,  in  the 
event  of  the  death  of  Judge  Taney,  he  had  not  fully 
intended  and  expected  to  nominate  Salmon  P.  Chase 
for  Chief- Justice.'  These  were  his  very  words  uttered 
in  connection  with  this  subject." 

Judge  Chase  had  been  a  member  of  Mr.  Lincoln's 
Cabinet  during  his  first  term,  and  had  conducted  the 
affairs  of  the  Treasury  Department  with  a  genius  and 
vigor  which  had  secured  the  confidence  of  the  capital 
ists  and  people  of  the  country  in  the  bonds  of  the 
Government,  even  when  the  military  situation  seemed 
hopeless.  During  the  political  campaign  of  1864,  he 
was  brought  forward  prominently  as  the  candidate 
for  the  Presidency  of  the  extreme  Radical  wing  of  the 
Republican  party,  who  were  dissatisfied  with  Mr.  Lin 
coln,  and  there  came  near  being  a  very  serious  rup 
ture  between  Lincoln  and  Chase,  a  consummation  for 
which  certain  »self-styled  patriots  labored  most  de 
voutly.  Fortunately  for  the  country,  their  efforts  did 
not  succeed.  Says  Mr.  Carpenter,  "  The  Hon.  Mr. 
Frank,  of  New  York,  told  me  that  just  after  the  norni- 


272  THE    SIGHTS    AND    SECRETS 

nation  of  Mr.  Chase  as  Chief-Justice,  a  deeply  interest 
ing  conversation  upon  this  subject  took  place  one  even 
ing  between  himself  and  the  President,  in  Mrs.  Lin 
coln's  private  sitting-room.  Mr.  Lincoln  reviewed  Mr. 
Chase's  political  course  and  aspirations,  at  some  length, 
alluding  to  what  he  had  felt  to  be  an  estrangement 
from  him  personally,  and  to  various  sarcastic  and  bitter 
expressions  reported  to  him  as  having  been  indulged 
in  by  the  ex-Secretary,  both  before  and  after  his  re 
signation.  The  Congressman  replied  that  such  reports 
were  always  exaggerated,  and  spoke  warmly  of  Mr. 
Chase's  great  services  in  the  hour  of  the  country's  ex 
tremity,  his  patriotism,  and  integrity  to  principle.  The 
tears  instantly  sprang  into  Mr.  Lincoln's  eyes.  *  Yes,' 
said  he,  *  that  is  true.  We  have  stood  together  in  the 
time  of  trial,  and  I  should  despise  myself  if  I  allowed 
personal  differences  to  affect  my  judgment  of  his  fitness 
for  the  office  of  Chief- Justice.' " 

Judge  Chase  is  a  native  of  New  Hampshire,  and  a 
member  of  the  famous  New  England  family  of  that 
name.  He  is  a  nephew  of  the  great  Bishop  Chase,  of 
Ohio,  and  was  partly  reared  by  him.  He  is  sixty-one 
years  old,  and  is  splendidly  preserved.  Personally  he 
is  one  of  the  most  imposing  men  in  the  country.  His 
head  is  grand  and  massive,  and  his  features  are  striking 
and  intellectual.  The  likenesses  on  the  Treasury  notes 
are  admirable,  and  will  give  the  reader  an  excellent 
idea  of  the  man.  In  point  of  ability  Judge  Chase  has 
few  equals,  and  no  superiors  in  the  land.  He  fills  his 
exalted  position  with  a  grace  and  dignity  peculiarly 


OF   THE   NATIONAL    CAPITAL.  273 

gratifying  to  his  countrymen,  who,  without  respect  to 
party,  are  justly  proud  of  his  fame. 


SALARIES. 

The  salary  of  the  Chief-Justice  is  $6,500,  that  of 
each  Associate  Justice  $(5,000,  and  that  of  the  Attor 
ney-General,  $8,000.  The  officers  of  the  court  receive 
salaries  proportionate  to  their  positions  and  services. 

THE   ATTOENET-GElSrERAL. 

The  Attorney-General  is  the  Legal  Adviser  of  the 
President,  and  the  counsel  for  the  Government  in  all 
suits  in  the  Supreme  Court,  in  which  the  United  States 
are  concerned.  It  is  his  duty,  when  required  by  the 
President  or  requested  by  the  heads  of  departments, 
to  give  his  opinion,  which  is  generally  submitted 
in  writing,  upon  any  matter  concerning  their  depart 
ments.  He  is  required  to  be  learned  in  the  law,  and 
to  take  an  oath  to  discharge  faithfully  the  duties  of  his 
office.  He  is  a  member  of  the  President's  Cabinet,  and 
is  allowed  an  assistant,  three  clerks,  and  a  messenger. 

THE    COURT   OF   CLAIMS. 

This  Court  meets  in  the  hall  under  the  Library  of 
Congress.  It  was  organized  by  act  of  Congress,  on 
the  25th  of  February,  1855,  and  consists  of  three 
judges,  appointed  by  the  President,  subject  to  the  con 
firmation  of  the  Senate.  Two  judges  constitute  a 
quorum  for  the  transaction  of  business.  They  hold 
office  during  good  behavior.  All  claims  against  the 
Government,  brought  before  either  House  of  Congress, 
18 


274  THE    SIGHTS    AND    SECRETS 

may  be  referred  to  this  Court,  by  which  they  are 
heard  and  determined.  A  record  of  the  proceedings 
is  kept,  and  reports  of  the  same  are  made  to  Congress 
at  the  beginning  of  each  session,  and  monthly  until 
Congress  adjourns.  Sessions  are  held  during  the  sitting 
of  Congress,  and  also  during  the  recess  of  that  body, 
if  there  is  sufficient  business  before  the  court  to  require 
it.  The  court  sits  Monday,  Tuesday,  Wednesday,  and 
Thursday,  and  on  pressing  occasions,  on  Friday. 
Saturday  is  used  by  the  judges  for  consultations. 

The  officers  of  the  court  are  a  solicitor  and  two  as 
sistant  solicitors,  to  represent  the  Government,  ap 
pointed  by  the  President,  and  by  and  with  the  advice 
and  consent  of  the  Senate,  and  a  clerk,  assistant  clerk, 
and  a  messenger  appointed  by  the  court. 


OP  THE   NATIONAL   CAPITAL.  275 


THE  DEPARTMENT  OF  STATE. 

THE  building  temporarily  used  for  the  Depart 
ment  of  State,  is  located  in  the  upper  part  of  Four 
teenth  street  West.  It  was  originally  erected  for  the 
Protestant  Orphan  Asylum,  but  has  been  leased  by 
the  Government  for  a  term  of  years.  When  the  mag 
nificent  extension  of  the  Treasury  Building  is  com 
pleted,  the  State  Department  will  be  installed  in  that 
portion  of  it  at  the  corner  of  Pennsylvania  avenue  and 
Fifteenth  street  West. 

The  department  was  organized  by  act  of  Congress 
in  July,  1789.  The  law  for  this  purpose  styled  it  the 
"Department  of  Foreign  Affairs,"  and  placed  it  in 
charge  of  an  official,  to  be  called  the  "  Secretary  of 
the  Department  of  Foreign  Affairs,"  who  was  to  dis 
charge  his  duties  "conformably  to  the  instructions  of 
ike  President?  As  his  powers  were  derived  from 
Congress,  he  was  required  to  hold  himself  amenable  to 
that  body,  to  attend  its  sessions,  and  "explain  al] 
matters  pertaining  to  his  province."  In  September, 
1789,  Congress  changed  the  title  of  the  department  to 
the  "  Department  of  State,"  and  made  a  definite  en 
umeration  of  the  duties  of  the  Secretary. 

HOW  THE  AKCHIVES  WEEE  SAVED. 

In  August,  1814,  the  British  army  burned  the 


276  THE  SIGHTS  AND  SECRETS 

building  used  by  the  State  Department.  The  public 
archives  had  been  removed  previous  to  this  to  a  place 
of  safety,  and  were  thus  preserved  from  destruction. 
In  his  "  Historical  Sketch  of  the  Second  War  of  the 
United  States,"  Ingersoll  thus  describes  the  manner 
in  which  they  were  removed  : 

"  The  day  before  the  fall  of  Washington — a  day 
of  extreme  alarm — on  the  23d  of  August,  1814,  the 
Secretary  of  State  wrote  to  the  President :  *  The 
enemy  are  advanced  six  miles  on  the  road  to  the 
wood-yard,  and  our  troops  retreating ;  our  troops  on 
the  march  to  meet  them,  but  in  too  small  a  body  to 
engage ;  General  Winder  proposes  to  retire  till  he  can 
collect  them  in  a  body.  The  enemy  are  in  full  march 
for  Washington,  and  have  the  materials  prepared  to 
destroy  the  bridge. — Tuesday,  nine  o'clock.  You  had 
better  remove  the  records.'  Before  that  note  was  re 
ceived,  Mr.  John  Graham,  chief  clerk  in  the  Department 
of  State,  and  another  clerk,  Mr.  Stephen  Pleasanton, 
bestirred  themselves  to  save  the  precious  public  records 
of  that  Department.  The  clerk  then  in  charge  of  most 
of  those  archives  was  Josiah  King,  who  accompanied 
the  Government  from  Philadelphia  to  Washington. 
By  the  exertions  of  these  clerks,  principally  Mr. 
Pleasanton,  coarse  linen  bags  were  purchased,  enough 
to  contain  the  papers.  The  original  Declaration  of 
Independence,  the  Articles  of  Confederation,  the  Fed- 
eral  Constitution,  many  treaties  and  laws  as  enrolled, 
General  Washington's  commission  as  Commander-in- 
Chief  of  the  Anny  of  the  Revolution,  which  he  re 
linquished  when  he  resigned  it  at  Annapolis  (found 


OF  THE  NATIONAL  CAPITAL.          277 

among  the  rubbish  of  a  garret),  together  with  many 
other  papers,  the  loss  of  which  would  have  deeply 
blackened  our  disgrace,  and,  deposited  in  the  Tower 
at  London,  as  much  illustrated  the  British  triumph 
— all  were  carefully  secured  in  linen  bags,  hung  round 
the  room,  ready,  at  a  moment's  warning,  for  removal 
to  some  place  of  safety.  Wagons,  carts,  and  vehicles 
of  all  sorts  were  in  such  demand  for  the  army,  whose 
officers  took  the  right  of  seizing  them,  whenever  neces 
sary,  to  carry  their  baggage,  provisions,  and  other  con 
veniences,  that  it  was  difficult  to  procure  one  in  which 
to  load  the  documents,  lhat  done,  however,  Mr. 
Pleasauton  took  them  to  a  mill,  over  the  Potomac, 
about  three  miles  beyond  Georgetown,  where  they 
were  concealed.  But,  as  General  Mason's  cannon- 
foundry  was  not  far  from  the  mill,  though  on  the 
Maryland  side  of  the  river,  apprehension  arose  that 
the  cannon-foundry,  which  the  enemy  would  of  course 
seek  to  destroy,  might  bring  them  too  near  the  mill, 
and  endanger  its  deposits.  They  were,  therefore,  re 
moved  as  far  as  Leesburg,  a  small  town  in  Virginia, 
thirty-five  miles  from  Washington,  whither  Mr.  Pleas- 
anton,  on  horseback,  accompanied  the  wagon  during 
the  battle  of  Bladensburg.  From  Leesburg,  where 
he  slept  that  night,  the  burning  city  was  discernible, 
in  whose  blaze  the  fate  of  his  charge,  if  left  there, 
was  told  on  the  horizon.  *  *  *  Mr.  Pleasanton 
took  them  [the  papers]  in  several  carts  to  the  mill, 
where  the  carts  were  discharged  ;  he  slept  at  the  Rev. 
Mr.  Maffit's,  two  miles  from  the  mill,  and  next  morn 
ing  got  country  wagons  in  which  he,  on  horseback, 


278  THE    SIGHTS    AND    SECRETS 

attended  the  papers  to  Leesburg,  where  they  were 
put  in  a  vacant  stone  house  prepared  for  him  by  the 
Rev.  Mr.  Littlejohn.  That  fearful  night  was  followed 
by  the  next  day's  tornado,  which,  at  Leesburg,  as  at 
Washington,  uprooted  trees,  unroofed  tenements,  and 
everywhere  around  superadded  tempestuous  to  bel 
ligerent  destruction  and  alarm. 

"  Many  of  the  records  of  the  War,  Treasury,  and 
Navy  Departments  were  destroyed ;  some  were  saved, 
less  by  any  care  than  by  the  tempest,  which  arrested 
hostile  destruction  before  its  completion,  and  drove 
the  enemy  from  the  Capital.  After  their  departure, 
several  of  the  written  books  of  the  departments  were 
found  in  the  mud,  soaked  with  water  from  the  rain 
which  so  opportunely  fell — which,  by  drying  them  in 
the  sun  and  rebinding  them,  were  recovered.  Great 
numbers  of  books  and  papers,  however,  were  irrecov 
erably  lost." 

ORGANIZATION. 

The  head  of  the  Department  is  the  Secretary  of 
State.  His  subordinates  are  an  Assistant  Secretary  of 
State,  chief  clerk,  superintendent  of  statistics,  trans 
lator,  librarian,  and  as  many  clerks  as  are  needed. 

THE   DIPLOMATIC    BUREAU 

has  charge  of  all  the  official  correspondence  between 
the  Department  and  the  Ministers,  and  other  agents 
of  the  United  States  residing  abroad,  and  the  repre 
sentatives  of  foreign  powers  accredited  to  this  Gov 
ernment.  It  is  in  this  Bureau  that  all  instructions 


OF   THE    NATIONAL    CAPITAL.  279 

sent  from  the  Department,  and  communications  to 
commissioners  under  treaties  of  boundaries,  <fec.,  are 
prepared,  copied,  and  recorded ;  all  similar  communi 
cations  received  by  the  Department  are  registered 
and  filed  in  this  Bureau,  and  their  contents  are  en 
tered  in  an  analytical  table,  or  index. 

THE    CONSULAR   BUREAU 

has  charge  of  all  correspondence,  and  other  business, 
between  the  Department  and  the  Consuls  and  Com 
mercial  Agents  of  the  United  States.  Applications 
for  such  positions  are  received  and  attended  to  in  this 
Bureau.  A  concise  record  of  all  its  transactions  is 
kept  by  the  clerk  in  charge  of  it. 

THE   DISBURSING   AGENT 

has  charge  of  all  correspondence,  and  other  business, 
relating  to  any  and  all  expenditures  of  money  with 
which  the  Department  is  charged. 

THE   TRANSLATOR 

is  required  to  furnish  translations  of  such  documents 
as  may  be  submitted  to  him  by  the  proper  officers  of 
the  Department.  He  also  records  the  commissions  of 
the  Consuls  and  Vice-Consuls,  when  not  in  English, 
upon  which  exequaturs  are  based. 

THE   CLERK   OF   APPOINTMENTS   AND    COMMISSIONS 

makes  out  and  keeps  a  record  of  all  commissions, 
letters  of  appointment,  and  nominations  to  the  Sen 
ate  ;  makes  out  and  keeps  a  record  of  all  exequaturs, 


280  THE    SIGHTS    AND    SECRETS 

and  when  in  English,  the  commissions  on  which  they 
are  issued.  He  also  has  charge  of  the  Library  of  the 
Department,  which  is  quite  large  and  valuable. 

THE    CLERK    OF   THE   EOLLS    AND    ARCHIVES 

has  charge  of  the  "  rolls,"  by  which  are  meant  the 
enrolled  acts  and  resolutions  of  Congress,  as  they  are 
received  by  the  Department  from  the  President. 
When  authenticated  copies  thereof  are  called  for,  he 
prepares  them.  He  also  prepares  these  acts  and  reso 
lutions,  and  the  various  treaties  negotiated,  for  pub 
lication  in  the  newspapers  and  in  book  form,  and 
superintends  their  passage  through  the  press.  He 
distributes  through  the  United  States  the  various 
publications  of  the  Department,  and  receives  and 
answers  all  letters  relating  thereto.  He  has  charge 
of  all  treaties  with  the  Indian  tribes,  and  all  business 
relating  to  them. 

THE    CLERK    OF   AUTHENTICATIONS    AND    COPYRIGHTS 

is  in  charge  of  the  seals  of  the  United  States  and  of 
the  Department,  and  prepares  and  attaches  certificates 
to  papers  presented  for  authentication ;  receives  and 
accounts  for  the  fees ;  keeps  a  register  of  books  and 
publications  for  which  copyrights  have  been  granted, 
and  records  the  correspondence  of  the  Department, 
except  the  diplomatic  and  consular  letters.  He  also 
has  charge  of  all  correspondence  relating  to  territorial 
affairs. 

THE   CLERK    OF   PARDONS    AND    PASSPORTS 

prepares  and  records  pardons  and  remissions  of  sen 


OF  THE  NATIONAL  CAPITAL.          281 

tences  by  the  President ;  and  registers  and  files  the 
papers  and  petitions  upon  which  they  are  founded. 
He  makes  out  and  records  passports ;  and  keeps  a 
daily  register  of  the  letters  received,  other  than  dip 
lomatic  and  consular,  and  the  disposition  made  of 
them.  He  also  has  charge  of  the  correspondence  re 
lating  to  his  business. 

THE    SUPERINTENDENT    OF   STATISTICS 

prepares  the  "  Annual  Report  of  the  Secretary  of 
State  and  Foreign  Commerce,"  as  required  by  the 
acts  of  1842  and  1856. 

THE   SECRETARY    OF   STATE 

receives  eight  thousand  dollars  salary,  and  is  a  mem 
ber  of  the  President's  Cabinet.  Strictly  viewed,  all 
the  Cabinet  Ministers  are  equal  as  regards  their  posi 
tions,  but  custom  has  assigned  the  Secretary  of  State 
the  first  rank  in  the  Cabinet — a  position  correspond 
ing  to  that  of  the  Prime-Minister  of  European  Gov 
ernments.  He  conducts  all  the  intercourse  of  this 
Government  with  those  of  foreign  countries,  and  is 
often  called  upon  to  take  a  prominent  part  in  the 
administration  of  home  affairs.  The  duties  of  the 
office  require  the  highest  ability  in  the  occupant,  and 
the  Secretaries  of  State  have  always  been  amongst  the 
first  statesmen  of  our  country.  The  first  Secretary 
was  Thomas  Jefferson.  His  successors  have  been, 
Edmund  Randolph,  of  Virginia ;  Timothy  Pickering, 
of  Massachusetts;  John  Marshall,  of  Virginia;  James 
Madison,  of  Virginia;  Robert  Smith,  of  Maryland; 


282  THE    SIGHTS    AND    SECRETS 

James  Monroe,  of  Virginia  ;  John  Quincy  Adams,  of 
Massachusetts ;  Henry  Clay,  of  Kentucky ;  Martin 
Van  Buren,  of  New  York;  Edward  Livingston,  of 
Louisiana ;  Louis  McLane,  of  Delaware ;  John  For- 
syth,  of  Georgia ;  Daniel  Webster,  of  Massachusetts ; 
Hugh  S.  Legare,  of  South  Carolina ;  Abel  P.  Upshur, 
of  Virginia ;  John  Nelson,  of  Maryland ;  John  C. 
Calhoun,  of  South  Carolina ;  James  Buchanan,  of 
Pennsylvania ;  John  M.  Clayton,  of  Delaware ;  Ed 
ward  Everett,  of  Massachusetts ;  William  L.  Marcy, 
of  New  York ;  Louis  Cass,  of  Michigan  ;  Jeremiah  S. 
Black,  of  Pennsylvania ;  and  William  H.  Seward,  of 
New  York.  Surely  no  branch  of  the  Government 
can  boast  a  more  brilliant  record. 


SECRETARY    SEWARD 


the  present  incumbent  of  the  State  Department,  has 
pla}  ed  a  prominent  part  in  the  history  of  the  United 
States  for  many  years.  He  is  a  native  of  Orange 
County,  N.  Y.,  and  is  nearly  sixty-eight  years  old. 
He  was  admitted  to  the  bar  at  the  age  of  twenty- 
one,  and  the  next  year  settled  in  Auburn,  N.  Y.,  and 
cornenced  the  practice  of  his  profession.  Seven  years 
later,  he  was  elected  to  the  Senate  of  his  native  State, 
where  he  boldly  avowed  himself  the  champion  of 
reform.  He  advocated  the  abolition  of  imprisonment 
for  debt,  the  encouragement  of  various  internal  im 
provements,  and  the  enlargement  of  the  right  of 
suffrage.  In  1833,  he  made  a  visit  to  Europe,  in 
company  with  his  father,  and,  while  there,  wrote  a 
series  of  letters  to  an  Albany  journal,  which  were 


OP   THE  NATIONAL   CAPITAL.  283 

afterwards  reprinted  in  book  form.  He  was  a  candi 
date  for  Governor  of  his  State  in  1834,  but  was  de 
feated  by  William  L.  Marcy.  He  was  elected  to  that 
office  by  a  handsome  majority  in  1838.  His  admin 
istration  is  memorable,  among  other  things,  for  the 
contest  he  produced  between  the  Protestant  and 
Roman  Catholic  citizens  of  New  York,  by  his  scheme 
for  placing  education  under  the  control  of  the  State. 
He  resumed  the  practice  of  his  profession  at  Auburn 
in  1843,  declining  to  be  a  candidate  for  reelection. 
He  had  an  extensive  practice,  chiefly  in  the  Federal 
Courts,  and  was  one  of  the  counsel  in  the  famous 
"  McCormick  Reaper  case."  In  March,  1849,  he  was 
elected  to  the  Senate  of  the  United  States,  and  was 
reflected  in  1855.  In  1861,  he  was  appointed  Secre 
tary  of  State  by  President  Lincoln,  which  position  he 
now  holds. 

His  political  career  began  with  his  early  manhood, 
and  has  been  very  active.  He  was  one  of  the  original 
Republicans,  the  great  "champion  of  personal  freedom, 
when  it  was  as  much  as  a  man's  social  position  was 
worth  to  advocate  such  ideas,  and  did  more  than  any 
other  man  to  create  and  build  up  the  party  which 
triumphed  in  1860.  As  a  matter  of  justice,  he  was 
entitled  to  the  nomination  by  the  Chicago  Convention 
in  1860,  but  he  was  thrown  out  by  the  Greeley  men, 
whom  he  had  mortally  offended,  and  who  threw  theii 
weight  in  the  Convention  for  Mr.  Lincoln.  Mr.  Sew- 
ard  acquiesced  in  the  decision  of  his  party,  and  ex 
erted  himself  in  behalf  of  the  ticket.  Mr.  Lincoln 
appreciated  his  services  highly.  Said  he :  "  Before 


284 

sunset  of  election  day,  in  1860,  I  was  pretty  sure, 
from  the  despatches  I  received,  that  I  was  elected. 
The  very  first  thing  that  I  settled  in  my  mind,  after 
reaching  this  conclusion,  was,  that  these  two  great 
leaders  of  the  party  (Seward  and  Chase)  should 
occupy  the  two  first  places  in  my  Cabinet." 

Mr.  SewarcJ  was  a  warm  friend  of  Mr.  Lincoln, 
whose  opinion  of  him  may  be  judged  from  the  fol 
lowing  remark  of  the  President :  "  Seward  is  an  able 
man,  and  the  country,  as  well  as  myself,  can  trust 
him."  "  No  knife,"  said  Mr.  Seward,  "  was  ever  sharp 
enough  to  divide  us  upon  any  question  of  public 
policy,  though  we  frequently  arrived  at  the  same 
conclusion  through  different  processes  of  thought." 

Just  before  the  assassination  of  Mr.  Lincoln,  Mr. 
Seward  was  thrown  from  his  carriage,  and  terribly 
injured.  While  he  lay  helpless  upon  his  sick-bed  in 
consequence  of  this  accident,  he  was  attacked  by  one 
of  Booth's  confederates,  and  stabbed  repeatedly,  and 
so  desperately,  that  at  first  his  life  was  despaired  of. 
He  recovered,  however,  but  still  bears  the  marks  of 
his  fearful  injuries. 

"  The  knowledge  of  the  terrible  calamity  which 
had  befallen  the  nation  was  rightly  withheld  from 
Mr.  Seward  at  the  time,  his  physician  fearing  that  the 
shock  would  be  too  great  for  him  to  bear.  The  Sun 
day  following,  he  had  his  bed  wheeled  around  so  that 
he  could  see  the  tops  of  the  trees  in  the  park  oppo 
site  his  residence,  just  putting  on  their  spring  foliage, 
when  his  eyes  caught  sight  of  the  Stars  and  Stripes 
at  half-mast  on  the  War  Department,  on  which  he 


OP   THE   NATIONAL    CAPITAL.  285 

gazed  awhile,  then,  turning  to  his  attendant,  said* 
The  President  is  dead ! '  The  confused  attendant 
stammered,  as  he  tried  to  say  Nay  ;  but  the  Secretary 
could  not  be  deceived.  *  If  he  had  been  alive,  he 
would  have  been  the  first  to  call  on  me,'  he  contin 
ued  ;  '  but  he  has  not  been  here,  nor  has  he  sent  to 
know  how  I  am ;  and  there  is  the  flag  at  half-mast. 
The  statesman's  inductive  reason  had  discerned  the 
truth,  and  in  silence  the  great  tears  coursed  down  his 
gashed  cheeks,  as  it  sank  into  his  heart." 


286  THE    SIGHTS   AND    SECRETS 


XL 
THE  TREASURY  DEPARTMENT. 

THE  law  organizing  the  Treasury  Department  was 
passed  by  Congress  in  August,  1789.  By  the  terms 
of  this  act  a  Secretary,  Assistant  Secretary,  Comptrol 
ler,  Treasurer,  and  Solicitor  were  ordered  to  be  ap 
pointed. 

The  head  of  the  Department  is 

THE  SECRETARY  OF  THE  TREASURY, 

who  is  a  member  of  the  President's  Cabinet,  and  chosen 
for  his  financial  ability.  The  first  Secretary  was  Alex 
ander  Hamilton.  His  successors  have  been  Oliver 
Wolcott,  of  Connecticut ;  S.  Dexter,  of  Massachusetts; 
Albert  Gallatin,  of  Pennsylvania;  George  W.  Camp 
bell,  of  Tennessee  ;  Alexander  J.  Dallas,  of  Pennsyl 
vania  ;  William  H.  Crawford,  of  Georgia ;  Richard 
Rush,  of  Pennsylvania;  Samuel  D.  Ingham,  of  Penn 
sylvania  ;  Louis  McLane,  of  Delaware ;  William  J. 
Duane,  of  Pennsylvania ;  Roger  B.  Taney,  of  Mary 
land ;  Levi  Woodbury,  of  New  Hampshire;  Thomas 
Ewing,  of  Ohio;  Walter  Forward,  of  Pennsylvania; 
George  M.  Bibb,  of  Kentucky ;  Robert  J.  Walker,  of 
Mississippi ;  William  M.  Meredith,  of  Pennsylvania ; 
Thomas  Corwin,  of  Ohio  ;  James  Guthrie,  of  Kentucky ; 
Howell  Cobb,  of  Georgia ;  Philip  Francis  Thomas,  of 


OF  THE  NATIONAL  CAPITAL.  287 

Maryland  ;  Salmon  P.  Chase,  of  Ohio ;  William  Pitt 
Fessenden,  of  Maine  ;  and  Hugh  McCulloch,  of  Indiana, 
the  present  incumbent. 

The  Secretary  of  the  Treasury  has  the  general 
charge  of  the  finances  of  the  United  States.  He 
recommends  to  Congress  such  measures  as  in  his  judg 
ment  are  necessary,  and  superintends  the  execution  of 
the  laws  of  Congress  relating  to  his  Department.  He 
has  very  great  discretionary  powers,  and  is  possessed 
of  immense  patronage.  He  also  superintends  the  exe 
cution  of  the  laws  concerning  the  commerce  and  navi 
gation  of  the  United  States,  the  survey  of  the  coast, 
lighthouse  department,  the  marine  hospitals  of  the 
United  States,  and  the  construction  of  certain  public 
buildings  for  Custom  Houses  and  other  purposes. 

His  subordinates  are  two  Assistant  Secretaries,  a 
Commissioner  of  the  Revenue,  Superintendent  of  the 
Treasury  Building,  two  Comptrollers,  a  Commissioner 
of  Customs,  six  Auditors,  a  Treasurer,  a  Register,  a 
Solicitor,  a  Chief  of  the  Currency  Bureau,  a  Commis 
sioner  of  the  Internal  Revenue,  a  Superintendent  of 
the  Coast  Survey,  and  a  Director  of  the  Bureau  of  Sta 
tistics.  There  are  over  two  thousand  and  fifty  clerks 
in  the  Department,  besides  chiefs  of  division  and  higher 
officials,  and  employees  of  a  lower  grade. 

THE   FIRST   COMPTEOLLEB 

prescribes  the  mode  of  keeping  and  rendering  accounts 
for  the  civil  and  diplomatic  service,  and  the  public 
lands,  and  revises  and  certifies  the  balances  arising 
thereon. 


288  THE    SIGHTS    AND    SECRETS 

THE   SECOND   COMPTROLLER 

keeps  and  renders  the  accounts  of  the  Army  and 
Navy  and  the  Indian  departments  of  the  public  ser 
vice,  and  revises  and  certifies  the  balances  arising 
thereon. 

THE   COMMISSIONER   OF   THE   CUSTOMS 

prescribes  the  mode  of  keeping  and  rendering  the  ac 
counts  of  the  customs  revenue  and  disbursements,  and 
for  the  building  and  repairing  of  custom  houses,  etc^ 
and  revises  and  certifies  the  balances  arising  thereon. 

THE   FIRST   AUDITOR 

examines  and  adjusts  the  accounts  of  the  customs  and 
revenue  disbursements,  appropriations  and  expendi 
tures  on  account  of  the  civil  list  and  under  private 
acts  of  Congress.  The  customs  and  revenue  balances 
are  reported  by  him  to  the  Commissioner  of  the  Cus 
toms,  and  the  others  to  the  First  Comptroller,  for  their 
decisions  thereon. 

THE   SECOND   AUDITOR 

examines  and  adjusts  all  accounts  connected  with  the 
pay,  clothing,  and  recruiting  of  the  army ;  and  for  ar 
mories,  arsenals,  and  ordnance ;  and  those  relating  to 
the  Indian  Department.  All  balances  are  reported 
by  him  to  the  Second  Comptroller,  for  his  decision 
thereon. 

THE   THIRD   AUDITOR 

examines  and  adjusts  all  accounts  for  the  subsistence 
of  the  army,  for  fortifications,  the  Military  Academy, 


OF   THE   NATIONAL   CAPITAL.  289 

military  roads,  and  the  Quartermaster's  department,  aa 
well  as  for  pensions,  claims  arising  from  military  ser 
vices  previous  to  1816,  and  for  horses  and  other  prop 
erty  lost  in  the  military  service.  He  reports  hia 
balances  to  the  Second  Comptroller  for  his  decision 
thereon. 

THE   FOURTH  AUDITOR 

examines  and  adjusts  the  accounts  connected  with  the 
Navy  Department,  and  reports  his  balances  to  the 
Second  Comptroller  for  the  final  decision  of  that  official. 

THE   FIFTH   AUDITOR 

examines  and  adjusts  all  accounts  for  diplomatic  and 
kindred  services  performed  by  order  of  the  State  De 
partment.  His  balances  are  referred  to  the  First  Comp 
troller  for  decision. 

THE   SIXTH   AUDITOR 

has  charge  of  the  accounts  of  the  Post  Office  Depart 
ment.  a.e  receives  and  audits  all  claims  for  services 
rendered  the  Post  Office  Department.  His  decisions 
are  final,  unless  the  claimant  appeals  within  twelve 
months  to  the  First  Comptroller.  He  is  charged  with 
the  collection  of  all  debts  due  the  Post  Office  Depart 
ment,  and  all  fines  and  forfeitures  imposed  upon  the 
postmasters  and  mail  contractors  for  neglect  of  duty ; 
he  oversees  the  prosecution  of  suits  and  legal  proceed 
ings,  both  civil  and  criminal,  and  sees  that  all  lawful 
steps  are  taken  to  enforce  the  payment  of  moneys  due 
the  Department ;  sends  out  instructions  to  the  Mar- 
19 


290  THE    SIGHTS    AND    SECRETS 

shals,  attorneys  and  clerks  of  the  United  States  in  such 
cases ;  receives  returns  from  each  terra  of  the  United 
States  Courts  of  the  condition  and  progress  of  such 
suits  and  legal  proceedings ;  has  charge  of  all  lands 
and  other  property  assigned  to  the  United  States  in 
payment  of  debts  due  the  Post  Office  Department ; 
and  has  power  to  sell  and  dispose  of  the  same  for  the 
benefit  of  the  United  States. 

THE   TREASURER 

receives  and  keeps  the  public  funds  of  the  United 
States,  in  his  own  office  and  that  of  the  depositories 
created  by  the  Act  of  August  6th,  1846,  and  pays  out 
the  same  upon  warrants  drawn  by  the  Secretary  of  the 
Treasury,  countersigned  by  the  First  Comptroller,  and 
upon  warrants  drawn  by  the  Post  Master  General, 
countersigned  by  the  Sixth  Auditor,  and  recorded  by 
the  Register.  He  also  holds  public  moneys  advanced 
by  warrant  to  disbursing  officers,  and  pays  out  the 
same  upon  their  cheques. 

THE   REGISTER 

keeps  the  accounts  of  the  receipts  and  expenditures  of 
the  public  funds ;  he  receives  the  returns  and  makes 
out  the  official  statement  of  commerce  and  navigation 
of  the  United  States.  He  is  the  custodian  of  all  the 
vouchers  and  accounts  decided  by  the  First  Comptrol 
ler  and  the  Commissioner  of  Customs,  which  are  placed 
in  his  keeping  by  those  officials. 


OP   THE   NATIONAL    CAPITAL.  291 

THE   SOLICITOR 

is  charged  with  the  prosecution  of  all  civil  suits  begun 
by  the  United  States  (with  the  exception  of  those 
originating  in  the  Post  Office  Department),  and  issues 
instructions  to  the  Marshals,  attorneys,  and  clerks  of 
the  United  States,  concerning  them  and  their  results. 
A  report  is  made  to  him  at  each  terra  from  the  United 
States  Courts,  showing  the  progress  and  condition  of 
such  suits.  He  is  in  charge  of  all  lands  and  other 
property  assigned  to  the  United  States  in  payment  of 
debts  (except  those  connected  with  the  Post  Office 
Department),  and  has  power  to  sell  and  dispose  of  the 
same  for  the  benefit  of  the  United  States. 


has  charge  of  all  the  operations  connected  with  the 
manufacture  and  distribution  of  the  national  and  frac 
tional  currency  authorized  by  acts  of  Congress.  His 
bureau  has  come  to  be  one  of  the  most  important 
branches  of  the  Treasury,  and  will  be  noticed  more  in 
detail  farther  on. 

THE    COMMISSIONER   OF   THE   INTERNAL    REVENUE  ! 

prescribes  the  manner  of  collecting  the  various  taxes 
imposed  by  the  Government,  for  revenue.  All  returns 
are  made  to  him  by  his  subordinates.  The  moneys 
received  from  the  people  are  paid  to  him  by  the  col 
lectors,  and  by  him  handed  to  the  Treasurer  of  the 
United  States.  In  these  days  of  heavy  taxes  this  is  a 


292  THE   SIGHTS    AND    SECRETS 

most  interesting  branch  of  the  Treasury,  the  workings 
of  which  are  each  year  brought  home  to  every  citizen. 

THE   LIGHT-HOUSE   BOARD 

is  composed  of  officers  of  the  Army  and  Navy,  the 
Superintendent  of  the  Coast  Survey,  and  the  Secretary 
of  the  Smithsonian  Institution.  The  Secretary  of  the 
Treasury  is  ex-officio  President  of  this  Board.  The 
Senior  Naval  member  is  usually  chosen  the  chairman, 
and  presides  over  its  deliberations.  The  Board  directs 
the  building  and  repairing  of  light-houses,  light  vessels, 
buoys  and  beacons,  and  contracts  for  the  supplies 
necessary  to  maintain  such  establishments. 

SECRETARY     McCULLOCH. 

Hugh  McCulloch,  the  present  incumbent  of  the 
office,  is  a  native  of  Maine.  He  is  about  fifty-eight 
years  old,  and  was  educated  at  Bowdoin  College.  He 
removed  to  Indiana  soon  after  coming  of  age,  and  in 
1835,  began  business  as  a  banker.  In  1855  he  was 
President  of  the  State  Bank  of  Indiana,  which  position 
he  held  until  May,  1863,  when  he  was  appointed  by 
the  President,  at  the  request  of  Secretary  Chase, 
Comptroller  of  the  Currency. 

Carpenter,  in  his  u  Six  Months  at  the  "White 
House,"  relates  the  following  incident,  upon  the  author 
ity  of  the  Rev.  John  Pierpont.  It  happened  soon 
after  Mr.  McCulloch's  arrival  in  Washington  to  assume 
his  new  duties. 

"  The  desk  at  which  Dr.  Pierpont  was  occupied 
was  in  a  room  with  those  of  a  large  number  of  other 


OP   THE   NATIONAL    CAPITAL.  293 

clerks,  among  whom  the  tall  figure  and  silvery  heard 
of  the  poet-preacher  were  very  conspicuous.  One  day, 
just  after  Mr.  McCulloch  had  entered  upon  his  duties 
m  Washington,  it  was  announced  at  the  entrance  of 
this  room  that  the  new  Comptroller  had  called  to  see 
4  Dr.  Pierpont.'  The  clerks  looked  up  from  their  books, 
and  at  one  another,  inquiringly,  as  Mr.  McCulloch  took 
a  seat  by  the  poet's  desk.  '  I  perceive,  Dr.  Pierpont,' 
said  he,  '  that  you  do  not  remember  me  ? '  The 
venerable  preacher  looked  at  him  a  moment,  and  re 
plied  that  he  did  not  think  he  had  ever  seen  him  be 
fore.  'Oh  yes,  you  have,1  returned  the  Comptroller; 

'I  was  a  member  of Class,  in  Cambridge,  in  1833 

and  '34,  and  used  to  hear  yon  preach.  Upon  leaving 
the  Law  School,  purposing  to  take  up  nay  residence  at 
the  West,  I  called  upon  you  and  requested  one  or  two 
letters  of  introduction  to  parties  in  Cincinnati.  You 
gave  me  two  lettei-s,  one  to  a  Mr.  S — ,  and  the  other 
to  a  Mr.  G — ,  of  that  city.  Those  letters,  my  dear  sir, 
were  the  stepping-stones  to  my  fortune.  I  have  not 
seen  you  since ;  but  learning  that  you  were  in  Wash 
ington,  I  told  my  wife,  upon  leaving  home  to  take  the 
position  offered  me  here,  that  the  first  call  I  made  in 
Washington  should  be  upon  the  Rev.  John  Pierpont.' 
As  the  Comptroller  concluded,  Dr.  Pierpont  put  on 
his  spectacles,  and  looked  at  him  a  moment  in  silence. 
He  at  length  said :  *  Why,  Mr.  McCulloch,  you  are  the 
most  extraordinary  man  I  ever  saw  in  my  life.'  *  How 
so  ? '  was  the  reply.  '  Why,  you  have  remembered  a 
favor  for  thirty  yearsl'" 


294  THE  SIGHTS  AND  SECRETS 

HOW  MR.  McCULLOCH  CAME  TO  BE  SECRETARY. 

Mr.  McCulloch  gave  great  satisfaction  and  won 
raach  credit  by  the  manner  in  which  he  conducted  the 
affairs  of  his  department. 

Carpenter  relates  the  following,  as  happening  while 
Mr.  Lincoln  was  casting  about  to  find  a  fitting  succes 
sor  to  Mr.  Chase: 

"  In  the  solitude  of  the  state  dining-room,  I  re 
sumed  my  work,  as  usual,  that  morning;  but  my  mind 
had  been  too  distracted  overnight  for  success.  Par- 

O 

ticipating  in  the  general  solicitude,  I  also  had  been 
intently  revolving  the  question  of  a  successor  to  Mr. 
Chase.  Unaccustomed  to  political  currents,  and  reject 
ing  all  considerations  of  this  character  in  a  candidate, 
my  thought  fastened  upon  Comptroller  McCulloch,  as 
the  rnan  for  the  crisis.  His  name,  at  that  time,  singular 
as  it  may  seem,  had  not  been  suggested  by  any  one,  so 
far  as  I  knew, — certainly  no  newspaper  had  advocated 
his  merits  or  claims.  I  was  at  length  impelled,  by  the 
force  of  the  convictions  which  engaged  my  mind,  to  lay 
down  my  palette  and  brushes,  and  go  up-stairs  and 
state  them  fa  the  President. 

"Improving  the  first  opportunity,  when  we  were 
left  alone,  1  said,  half  playfully,  'Mr.  President,  would 
you  like  the  opinion  of  a  painter  as  to  who  would 
make  a  good  Secretary  of  the  Treasury?  '  He  looked 
at  me  a  moment,  and  said  :  '  Yes,  I  think  I  would. 
What  is  your  advice  ? '  Said  I,  *  Nominate  Hugh  Mc- 
Culloc-h.1  l  Why,'  said  he,  *  what  do  you  know  of  Mc 
Culloch?  'Mi'.  President/  I  rejoined,  'you  know 


•    V 

Of   THE   NATIONAL    CAPITAL.  295 

painters  are  thought  generally  to  have  very  little 
knowledge  of  financial  matters.  I  admit  that  this  is 
true,  so  far  as  /  am  concerned  ;  but  I  do  claim  to  know 
something  of  men,  from  the  study  of  character  as  ex 
pressed  in  faces.  Now,  in  my  humble  judgment,  Mc- 
Culloch  is  the  most  suitable  man  in  the  community  for 
the  position.  First;  his  ability  and  integrity  are  un 
questionable.  Second ;  as  Comptroller  of  the  Cur 
rency,  he  is  fully  acquainted  with  the  past,  present, 
and  proposed  future  policy  of  Secretary  Chase,  and 
the  entire  u  machinery  "  of  the  Department.  Thi  d ; 
he  is  a  practical  financier.  Having  made  finance  the 
study  of  his  life,  it  is  obvious  he  is  already  educated 
to  the  position :  whereas,  a  man  taken  from  the  political 
arena  would  have  every  thing  to  learn,  and  then  even, 
his  judgment  would  be  distrusted.'  Upon  this  Mr. 
Lincoln  said,  with  emphasis, — 'I  believe  McCulloch  is 
a  very  good  man  !  '•  I  think  he  repeated  this  once  or 
twice.  My  errand  accomplished,  I  returned  to  my 
labor." 

Mr.  Fessenden  succeeded  Judge  Chase,  but  held 
the  office  only  a  few  months,  resigning  it  at  the  close 
of  Mr.  Lincoln's  first  term. 

Mr.  Lincoln  then  appointed  Hugh  McCulloch  Secre 
tary  of  the  Treasury,  and  it  is  more  than  probable  that 
the  interview  above  related,  having  turned  his  mind  to 
a  consideration  of  Mr.  McCulloch's  merits,  was  in  real 
ity  the  cause  of  the  appointment. 

THE  TREASURY  BUILDING- 
IS  located  on  Pennsylvania  Avenue,  at  the  corner  of 


296  THE    SIGHTS    AND    SECRETS 

Fifteenth  street  West,  fronting  G  Street.  The  old 
building  was  commenced  in  1836,  and  was  constructed 
of  inferior  brown  sandstone,  painted  in  imitation  of 
granite.  In  1855,  the  extension  was  begun.  It  is  now 
nearly  completed.  This  extension  has  more  than 
doubled  the  size  of  the  original  edifice,  and  has  made 
the  whole  building  one  of  the  handsomest  and  most 
imposing  in  the  country.  The  old  building  extended 
along  Fifteenth  Street,  and  was  ornamented  with  an 
unbroken  Ionic  colonnade,  342  feet  long,  which,  though 
showy,  was  inconvenient,  as  it  excluded  the  light  from 
the  rooms. 

The  plan  of  the  extension  flanks  the  old  building 
at  each  end  with  massive  granite  masonry,  and  makes 
beautiful  terminations  of  the  north  and  south  fronts, 
which  serve  to  relieve  the  dreary  monotony  of  the 
long  colonnade,  besides  providing  a  large  new  building 
at  each  end.  "  There  are  two  inner  quadrangles 
formed  by  the  old  rear  building,  extending  back  from 
the  eastern  entrance.  These  courts  are  each  130  feet 
square.  The  walls  of  the  extension  are  composed  of 
pilasters,  resting  on  a  base  which  rises  some  twelve  feet 
above  the  ground  on  the  southern  or  lower  side.  Be 
tween  the  pilasters  or  antse  are  belt  courses,  beautifully 
moulded,  and  the  facings  of  the  doors  and  windows 
are  fine  bold  mouldings  in  keeping.  In  the  centre  of 
the  southern,  western,  and  northern  fronts  are  magnifi 
cent  porticos.  The  west  front  has  also  the  projecting 
pediments  at  the  ends,  corresponding  with  those  on 
the  east  side,  and  each  supported  by  square  antae  at 
the  angles,  with  two  columns  between.  The  whole 


OP   THE   NATIONAL    CAPITAL  29 / 

building  is  of  the  Grecian  or  Ionic  order,  and  is  sur 
mounted  by  a  massive  balustrade.  The  new  structure 
is  of  the  best  and  most  beautiful  granite  in  the  world, 
brought  from  Dix  Island,  on  the  coast  of  Maine.  The 
antse  and  columns  are  monoliths.  The  large,  solid 
antse  weigh  nearly  an  hundred  thousand  pounds,  and 
the  columns  some  seventy-five  thousand.  The  facility 
with  which  the  immense  masses  are  hewn  out  of  the 
quarries,  swung  on  board  vessels,  brought  to  the  Capi 
tal,  and  raised  to  the  positions  which  the  architect  in 
his  studio  designed  them  to  occupy,  conveys  a  high 
idea  of  American  art  and  enterprise.  The  Treasury 
Building,  as  extended,  is  465  feet  long,  exclusive  of  the 
porticos,  by  266  feet  wide." 

The  courts  are  ornamented  with  handsome  foun 
tains.  A  very  beautiful  one  adorns  the  space  in  front 
of  the  western  portico  at  the  entrance  to  the  Presi 
dent's  park,  and  another  is  now  being  constructed  be 
fore  the  north  front.  The  entrances  are  through  mass 
ive  gateways.  The  yard  on  the  north  and  west  sides 
is  lower  than  the  street,  and  broad  flights  of  steps  lead 
to  it.  A  handsome  granite  balustrade  extends  along 
the  north  wall. 

The  interior  arrangements  are  unusually  fine.  The 
architecture  ranks  next  to  that  of  the  Capitol  in  its 
magnificence,  and  is  peculiarly  American  in  its  details. 
Unlike  most  of  the  public  buildings,  the  offices  are 
lai-ge,  airy,  and  handsome,  presenting  the  appearance 
of  splendid  saloons,  and  affording  a  greater  degree  of 
comfort  to  the  occupants  than  the  narrow,  cell-like 
apartments  of  the  old  Treasury. 


293 

The  extension  is  nearly  completed.  The  wing  de« 
signed  for  the  accommodation  of  the  Internal  Revenue 
Department  will  be  ready  for  use  sometime  during  the 
present  year.  The  new  cash  room  will  be  one  of  the 
most  magnificent  halls  in  the  world,  and  will  cost  over 
forty  thousand  dollars  for  marble  work  alone.  The 
walls  and  ceiling  will  be  beautifully  panelled  with  rare 
specimens  of  Italian  marble,  and  all  the  arrangements 
of  the  apartment  will  be  on  the  most  splendid  and 
tasteful  scale. 


OP  THE  NATIONAL  CAPITAL.          299 


XII 

THE  CURRENCY. 

PREVIOUS  to  the  Rebellion  the  circulating  medium 
of  the  country  consisted  only  of  gold,  silver,  and  cop 
per  coins,  issued  by  the  General- Government.  Besides 
these,  the  banks  of  the  various  States  issued  large 
quantities  of  notes,  redeemable  on  demand  in  the  legal 
currency  of  the  Union.  These  notes  were  generally 
worth  their  full  value  in  the  States  in  which  the  banks 
issuing  them  were  located,  but  in  other  States  they 
were  received  only  at  a  discount,  the  rate  of  which 
varied  according  to  circumstances. 

In  those  days,  the  metal  currency  of  the  Govern 
ment  was  sufficient  for  the  business  wants  of  the  coun 
try,  and  as  it  was  known  that  the  majority  of  the 
banks  were  well  supplied  with  it,  very  few  persons 
were  unwilling  to  receive  the  bank,  notes  at  their  full 
value.  At  the  beginning  of  the  war,  however,  the 
metal  currency  commenced  to  grow  scaice,  as  is  usual 
in  all  such  cases.  Private  enterprises  and  securities 
were  viewed  with  suspicion,  as  nothing  was  regarded 
as  certain  in  the  unsettled  condition  of  the  country, 
and  those  who  had  gold  and  silver  money  withdrew  it 
from  the  market  and  laid  it  away,  in  order  to  provide 
against  future  troubles.  This  created  a  stringency  in 
the  money  market,  which  was  severely  felt  by  all  classes 


300  THE    SIGHTS    AND    SECRETS 

of  the  community.  The  trouble  was  made  greater  by 
the  fact  that  the  Government  was  demanding  heavy 
supplies  of  all  kinds,  to  be  delivered  almost  imrnedi 
ately,  and  that  there  was  not  ready  money  enough  in 
the  country  to  carry  on  the.  work  required.  In  order 
to  remedy  this,  the  issue  of  paper  money  by  the  Gov 
ernment  was  resolved  .upon.  The  necessary  acts  were 
passed  by  Congress,  and  approved  by  the  President, 
and  the  notes  were  issued  by  the  Treasury  Department. 
At  first  the  "  Demand  Notes,"  or  Greenbacks,  as  they 
are  most  commonly  called,  were  issued.  Then  followed 
the  Postal  Currency,  then  the  National  Currency,  or 
notes  of  the  National  Banks,  and  lastly  the  Fractional 
Currency.  The  volume  of  paper  money  in  circulation 
increased  steadily  after  the  first  issue.  At  present  it 
is  the  main  dependence  of  the  country,  gold  and  silver 
having  passed  almost  entirely  out  of  circulation,  and 
become  articles  of  commerce. 

HOW   PAPER   MONEY   IS   MADE. 

It  is  not  our  purpose,  however,  to  relate  the  history 
of  our  national  finances,  but  to  glance  briefly  at  the 
manner  in  which  the  notes  and  bonds  of  the  Govern 
ment  are  prepared  and  issued  for  circulation.  The 
gold,  silver,  and  nickel  coins,  being  made  at  the  Mint 
in  Philadelphia,  and  at  its  branches,  have  no  place  in 
this  description. 

PREPARING    THE    PLATE. 

The  first  step  in  making  paper  money  is  to  determine 
upon  an  appropriate  design  for  the  note  or  bond.  This 


OP  THE  NATIONAL  CAPITAL.          301 

is  usually  selected  by  the  Secretary  of  the  Treasury 
The  designs  for  the  fractional  notes  are  drawn  up  in 
the  Treasury ;  but  the  Greenbacks,  the  National  Bank 
notes,  and  the  bonds,  were  designed  by  the  American 
Bank  Note  Company,  and  the  National  Bank  Note 
Company,  of  New  York.  The  former  designed  the 
Treasury  notes  or  Greenbacks,  and  the  latter  the  Na 
tional  currency. 

The  design  being  selected,  the  plate  is  prepared  by 
one  of  the  companies  mentioned,  in  its  own  establish- 
ment.  Every  care  is  taken  to  prevent  an  improper 
use  being  made  of  any  part  of  the  work  or  of  the 
materials  used.  The  great  end  is  to  make  a  note  which 
shall  defy  the  skill  of  counterfeiters. 

The  drawing  selected  for  the  new  note  is  much 
larger  in  size  than  the  note,  and  is  prepared  with  the 
greatest  care  by  the  best  artists.  It  is  photographed 
upon  a  steel  plate  of  the  exact  size  required  for  the 
note,  by  which  process  its  proportions  are  uniformly 
reduced.  The  outlines  are  then  faintly  cut  in  the  steel, 
and  the  plate  is  sent  to  the  engraver  to  fill  up.  This 
is  a  very  slow  process.  A  part  of  it  is  done  by  hand, 
but  the  delicate  and  intricate  tracery  work,  which  will 
defy  any  but  the  very  best  counterfeiters  to  imitate, 
is  done  by  machinery,  the  machine,  of  course,  being 
directed  by  a  skilled  workman.  The  greatest  care  is 
taken  by  the  engravers  to  have  their  work  as  perfect 
as  possible.  Every  line  is  cut  separately,  and  fre 
quently  half  a  dozen  different  persons  are  employed 
upon  a  single  plate.  One  man  excels  in  landscape, 
another  in  portraits,  another  in  animal  figures,  and  to 


302  THE    SIGHTS    AND    SECRETS 

each  one  is  assigned  the  part  he  can  perform  best, 
From  two  to  four  months'  constant  and  careful  work 
is  spent  on  one  of  these  plates  before  it  is  ready  for 
nse. 

TRANSFERRING. 

The  plate  which  comes  thus  from  the  hands  of  the 
engraver  is  not  used  to  print  from,  but  is  retained  by 
the  company  as  a  mould  from  which  others  are  made. 
It  is  called  a  "  die,"  and  the  process  by  which  copies 
are  taken  from  it  is  termed  transferring. 

The  original  "  die  "  is  engraved  on  soft  steel,  and 
after  being  completed  is  placed  in  a  crucible  filled  with 
animal  carbon,  and  hermetically  sealed.  The  crucible  is 
then  placed  in  a  furnace,  and  subjected  to  an  intense  but 
regulated  heat,  which  volatilizes  the  carbon  and  causes 
it  to  combine  with  the*Bteel,  thus  rendering  that  metal 
as  hard  as  it  can  be  made.  The  "  die  "  is  then  taken 
to  the  transfer  press,  which  is  a  powerful  machine, 
capable  of  exerting  a  pressure  of  thirty  five  tons,  by 
the  mere  exertion  of  the  workman's  foot.  The  "die1' 
is  placed  on  the  press,  and  a  roller  of  soft  steel  passed 
over  it,  the  powerful  press  forcing  the  soft  metal  into 
each  line  of  the  hardened  u  die."  This  process  is  re 
peated  as  often  as  necessary,  the  press  working  with 
mathematical  exactness.  A  raised  impression  of  the 
original  die  is  thus  made  upon  the  roller,  which  in  its 
turn  is  subjected  to  the  action  of  volatilized  carbon  and 
hardened.  These  rollers,  or  secondary  "  dies  "  are  care 
fully  preserved  in  the  vaults  of  the  company,  and 
guarded  with  every  possible  precaution.  When  a  note 
plate  for  printing  is  wanted,  they  are  passed  by  the 


OP   THE   NATIONAL   CAPITAL.  303 

press  over  a  plate  of  soft  steel,  and  a  sunken  impression 
is  made.  This  last  plate  is  then  hardened  in  its  turn, 
and  used  for  printing. 

PRrNlTNG    THE    NOTES. 

In  the  Treasury  notes  and  National  Currency  notes, 
two  plates  are  used,  whenever  either  side  of  the  note 
is  printed  in  two  colors.  In  the  Treasury  notes,  the 
face  is  printed  in  black  and  green,  and  the  back  in 
green.  In  the  National  Bank  notes  the  face  is  printed 
in  black,  and  the  back  in  green  and  black,  the  picture 
in  the  centre  being  in  black,  and  the  border  in  green. 
A  separate  impression  by  a  separate  plate  is  necessary 
for  each  of  these  colors.  This  adds  greatly  to  the  cost 
of  the  notes,  but  is  a  cheap  process  in  the  end,  as  it  is 
a  sure  protection  against  counterfeits. 

It  is  acknowledged  that  a  perfect  fac-simile  of  the 
notes  of  the  Government  cannot  be  made  by  hand. 
An  exact  copy  of  every  line,  every  shade,  every  letter, 
can,  however,  be  obtained  by  photography,  which 
science  a  few  years  ago  seemed  to  break  down  every 
protection  against  spurious  mone)r.  The  old  bank 
notes,  printed  in  plain  black  and  white,  were  imitated 
so  successfully  that  the  banks  were  obliged  to  resort  to 
the  use  of  colored  notes.  A  photograph  does  not  re 
produce  colors,  its  effects  being  simply  in  black  and 
white,  and  for  a  while  the  counterfeiters  were  puzzled. 
Their  ingenuity  triumphed,  however.  They  found  a 
process  by  which  the  colored  inks  used  could  be  re 
moved  without  disturbing  the  black  ink  of  the  note, 
and  they  removed  these  colored  inks,  photographed 


304  THE  BIGHTS    AND   SECRETS 

the  rest  of  the  note,  and  reprinted  the  colored  parts  in 
imitation  of  the  originals. 

The  American  Bank  Note  Company,  of  New  York, 
in  order  to  prevent  this  practice,  purchased  the  patent 
of  a  new  chemical  green  ink,  which  had  just  been  in 
vented.  This  ink  has  almost  put  a  stop  to  counter 
feiting.  It  is  of  such  a  nature  that  it  cannot  be  re 
moved  from  the  paper  without  the  paper  being  de 
stroyed  by  the  means  used,  or  the  black  ink  combined 
with  it  on  the  same  note  being  removed  at  the  same 
time.  The  ink  has  been  tested  by  the  most  eminent 
chemists  in  the  land,  who  have  been  unable  to  discover 
any  means  of  overcoming  the  obstacles  presented  by  it 
to  the  arts  of  the  counterfeiters.  There  are  some  few 
counterfeits  in  circulation,  but  unless  prepared  in  a 
manner  to  be  hereafter  described,  they  may  be  easily 
detected. 

The  paper  for  the  notes  and  bonds  is  selected  with 
great  care,  its  quality  and  finish  being  important  fea 
tures  in  a  genuine  note  or  bond.  It  is  kept  in  a  place 
of  security,  and  is,  or  ought  to  be,  issued  with  certain 
restrictions  which  insure  its  being  u«ed  only  for  legiti 
mate  purposes.  In  the  establishments  of  the  Bank 
Note  Companies  of  New  York,  not  a  sheet  can  leave 
the  paper  wareroom  without  being  accounted  for,  but 
the  Treasury  officials  are  said  to  be  more  careless. 

The  greater  part  of  a  Treasury  note  is  printed  from 
the  steel  plate,  but  a  portion  of  the  colored  work  is 
done  like  ordinary  printing,  with  a  hand-press.  The 
plate  is  kept  warm  by  means  of  a  brazier  containing 
fire,  in  order  to  keep  the  ink  in  a  proper  state.  The 


OF   THE   NATIONAL    CAPITAL.  305' 

ink  is  passed  all  over  the  plate  with  a  roller,  and  is 
then  wiped  off  with  a  cloth,  which  leaves  it  only  in  the 
lines  or  diagram  cut  in  the  plate.  It  is  then  laid 
under  a  winch  press,  and  an  impression  taken.  The 
presses  are  required  to  be  of  the  most  accurate  descrip 
tion,  as  the  least  difference  in  the  position  of  the  plates 
when  two  or  more  colors  are  used,  would  ruin  the  note. 
The  numbers  are  printed  by  an  ingenious  little  machine, 
and  the  signatures  of  the  Treasurer  and  Register  of 
the  Treasury  are  engraved  on  the  plate.  The  National 
Bank  officials  sign  their  notes  by  hand. 

Thus,  the  reader  will  see  that  the  best  materials, 
the  best  skill,  and  the  greatest  care  are  employed  in 
the  preparation  of  the  notes  and  bonds  of  the  Gov 
ernment.  The  great  object  is  to  prevent  counterfeiting. 

The  Greenbacks  and  National  Bank  notes  are 
printed  by  the  American  and  National  Banknote 
Companies,  but  the  bonds,  interest-bearing  notes,  and 
fractional  currency  notes  are  printed  at  the  Treasury, 
where,  also,  the  plates  of  the  fractional  notes  are  en 
graved. 

CARELESS    PRINTING    OF   THE    CURRENCY. 

The  Currency-Printing  Bureau  of  the  Treasury 
Department  is  in  charge  of  Mr.  S.  M.  Clark,  who 
was  pronounced  unfit  for  his  position  by  a  minority 
report  presented  in  Congress  in  1864,  and  signed  by 
Messrs.  James  Brooks,  John  T.  Stuart,  W.  G.  Steele, 
and  John  L.  Dawson.  The  following  extract  from 
the  report  of  that  committee,  will  show  the  frightful 
irregularities  which  existed  in  the  Treasury  in  1864 : 
20 


306  THE    SIGHTS    AND    SECRETS 

"  Your  Committee  were  amazed  to  find,  upon  ex 
amination,  that,  in  April  last,  when  this  Committee 
was  created,  the  recognized  issue  of  the  fractional 
currency  was  under  twenty  millions !  They  cannot 
account  for  this  discrepancy  of  reality  and  estimate. 
Upon  the  discovery,  however,  of  the  great  discrep 
ancy,  they  directed  their  attention  to  the  mode  and 
manner  of  printing  this  fractional  currency,  which  to 
them  is  utterly  unsatisfactory.  The  white  paper  upon 
which  it  is  printed,  has  been  very  loosely  purchased 
and  received,  and  very  loosely  handled.  It  came  into 
the  hands  of  one  lady  in  the  Bureau  of  Printing,  and 
instead  of  being  turned  out  to  the  public  in  a  far 
different  direction,  returned  all  of  it  to  her  hands,  and 
she  passed  it  over  to  Mr.  Clark.  Whatever  system 
of  checks  and  balances  Mr.  Clark  may  have  for  his 
own  guidance,  there  is  no  check  over  him.  He  keeps 
no  ledgers,  balances  no  books  for  an  accountant  to  see 
and  understand  at  a  glance.  The  eye  is  wearied,  and 
the  mind  fatigued  by  innumerable  figures  of  his,  but 
no  clear,  close  ledger,  such  as  every  merchant  or  cor 
poration  has,  shows  continuously  his  day's  work,  or 
the  summary  of  that  work,  to  be  detected  by  a  single 
glance  of  his  eye.  The  whole  arrangement  of  this, 
the  most  important  of  the  Government,  is  loose, 
slovenly,  unsatisfactory,  and  susceptible  of  a  con 
siderable  amount  of  fraud.  A  plate  printer  of  his, 
James  Lamb,  selected  at  random  from  the  fractional 
currency  workmen,  testifies :  *  There  was  no  security 
to  prevent  the  fractional  currency  from  being  taken 
or  abstracted,'  when,  he  was  at  work  on  the  hydro. 


OP  THE   NATIONAL    CAPITAL.  307 

static  presses  ;  and  adds,  1 1  could  have  taken  off  ten 
sheets  a  day,  from  October  to  December.'  Mr.  Lamb 
was  very  sharply  cross-questioned,  but  adhered  to  this 
testimony  to  the  end.  Nor  has  there  been  shown  to 
your  Committee  any  satisfactory  disposition  that  had 
been  made  of  the  numerous  spoiled  sheets  of  the  frac 
tional  currency,  sheets  of  the  fifty  cent  sort,  say,  upon 
which  two  or  three  parts  may  be  damaged,  while  the 
remaining  parts  are  good.  Indeed,  the  whole  '  spoiled- 
sheet '  management  of  Treasury  notes  and  of  bonds, 
especially  the  coupons,  seems  to  us  to  be  in  a  very 
unsatisfactory,  if  not  dangerous  state. 

"  We  are  fortified  in  these  views  by  a  report  of 
January  2,  1864,  to  the  Secretary  of  the  Treasury, 
*  *  *  signed  by  Mr.  Field,  the  Assistant  Secre 
tary  ;  Mr.  Taylor,  the  First  Comptroller  of  the  Treas 
ury  ;  and  Mr.  Chittenden,  the  Register  of  the  Treas- 
uiy,  and  subsequently  countersigned,  February,  19, 
1864,  by  a  Senator  from  Rhode  Island,  Hon.  Mr. 
Sprague.  These  gentlemen,  in  this  report,  offer  many 
valuable  suggestions  to  the  Secretary  of  the  Treasury, 
which  is  not  done  as  advised.  They  desired  that  some 
distinctive  mark  should  be  placed  upon  each  sheet ; 
which  is  not  done.  They  detail  the  mode  and  man 
ner  by  which  Mr.  Clark  should  be  held  responsible 
for  every  sheet  put  in  his  possession ;  which  is  not 
done.  They  recommend  a  system  of  checks  upon 
requisitions  for  paper ;  to  which  no  attention  has 
been  paid.  They  deem  it  desirable  that  daily  re- 
turns  should  be  made  to  the  Secretary  as  to  each  and 
every  sheet ;  which  is  not  done,  They  find,  as  this 


308  THE    SIGHTS    AND    SECRETS 

Committee  found,  that  through  the  hands  of  Mr 
Clark  alone  passes  all  paper  into,  and  out  of,  the 
several  divisions,  and  they  recommend  another  count 
ing  division ;  to  which  no  attention  has  been  paid. 
They  recommend,  and  think  the  existing  laws  de 
mand,  that  the  imprint  of  the  red  seal  should  be 
affixed  in  the  office  of  the  Secretary  himself,  under 
his  especial  direction,  by  an  officer  directly  responsi 
ble  to  him — an  imprint  now  done  by  Mr.  Gray,  an 
appointee  and  employee  of  Mr.  Clark  alone.  Six  dis 
tinct  and  very  important  recommendations  are  offered 
by  these  gentlemen  holding  high  offices  in  the  Treas 
ury,  to  no  one  of  which  has  any  attention  been  paid. 

"  The  inattention  to  these  recommendations  and 
the  neglect  of  these  precautions  are  greatly  to  be  de 
plored — for,  without  them,  an  unscrupulous  man  may 
rob  the  Treasury  of  thousands  and  thousands  of  dol 
lars.  Apart  from  the  perils  of  fraud,  the  existing 
system  tempts  and  leads  to  carelessness  and  theft. 
Mr.  John  Oliphant,  who  has  charge  of  the  loan 
branch  in  the  Treasurer's  office,  exhibited  to  the  Com 
mittee  a  $1,000  ten-forty  bond  erroneously  printed, 
which,  with  all  others  of  the  like  kind,  Congress, 
since  this  discovery,  has  been  obliged  to  legalize  by 
statute.  The  number  or  amount  of  these  in  circula 
tion,  he  did  not  know.  Mr.  Clark,  it  would  seem, 
discovered  this  error  some  time  before  it  was  made 
known  to  the  loan  branch  in  the  Treasurer's  office. 
The  peril  of  error  in  the  printing  of  large  bonds  is 
obvious  without  comment,  and  again  demonstrates 
the  necessity  for  separation  of  work,  and  of  check 


OF    THE    NATIONAL    CAPITAL.  309 

and  counter-check.  The  testimony  of  Mr.  John  G 
Clark,  a  teller  in  the  banking-house  of  Riggs  &  Co., 
also  discloses  the  fact  that  an  interest-bearing  note  of 
twenty  dollars  (if  not  other  notes)  had  been  issued 
without  any  date  of  issue  upon  it,  or  any  series  of 
numbers.  Taken  to  the  Treasury  Department  by 
the  teller,  Mr.  Clark,  the  remark  there  was,  '  It  was 
evidently  stolen.  It  must  have  been  stolen  from  the 
Bureau  over  which  Mr.  Clark  presides.'  Four  or  five 
of  these  notes  were  reported  to  be  missing  from  the 
Bureau.  Clark  explained  that  the  twenty  dollar  note, 
and  three  or  four  others,  had  been  stolen  by  a  scrub 
bing  woman  employed  by  him,  and  that  the  sheet 
upon  which  it  had  been  printed,  had  been  put  into 
the  vault  as  mutilated  money.  There  would  seem  to 
be  no  need  of  emigrating  to  the  placers  of  California, 
when  scrubbing-women  can  thus  pick  up  twenty  dol 
lar  notes.  Mr.  John  G.  Clark  further  testified,  that, 
in  April,  four  thousand  dollars  of  interest- bearing 
notes  were  paid  him,  dated,  in  advance,  the  12th  and 
16th  of  May.  The  Treasurer  told  him  they  had  got 
out  by  accident.  '  They  were  intended  for  San  Fran 
cisco,  but  by  accident  they  got  out  here.'  These  are 
but  accidental  illustrations  of  a  perilous  printing  of 
the  public  money. 

"  The  testimony  of  Mr.  Chittenden,  the  Register 
of  the  Treasury,  is,  as  to  this  business  of  printing 
money,  very  significant  and  very  important.  Hen 
derson  and  Clark,  it  seems,  there  again  turn  up  as 
companions — '  intimate  associates.'  Mr.  Henderson 
advanced  in  his  style  of  living  very  much — far  be- 


310  THE    SIGHTS    AND    SECRETS 

yond  what  heads  of  departments  were  able  to  afford. 
He  was  understood  to  keep  two  or  three  horses,  to 
have  bought  a  fine  house,  and  to  have  furnished  it 
olegantly.  '  I  heard  yesterday  (May  3)  he  was  in 
Clark's  division,  though  not  employed  there ' — and 
there,  in  a  money  bureau,  after  being  removed  for 
gross  frauds  in  his  duties  as  requisition  or  warrant 
clerk — there,  where  not  even  a  Member  of  Congress 
can  go,  without  a  written  order  from  the  Secretary 
himself!" 

The  investigation  created  no  little  excitement  at 
the  time,  in  consequence  of  the  gross  irregularities 
discovered ;  but  it  was  hushed  up  by  the  majority 
in  the  Committee  and  in  the  House,  for  fear  it  would 
damage  the  prospects  of  the  Republican  party,  the 
Presidential  election  of  1864  being  close  at  hand. 
The  report  which  we  have  quoted  above,  declared, 
"  Your  Committee  are  therefore  constrained  to  say, 
that  they  have  not  been  permitted,  in  spirit  or  in  fact, 
to  examine  into  but  a  very  small  portion  of  the  allega 
tions  made  by  the  newspaper  press,  or  by  Mr.  Brooks, 
or  by  General  Blair,  on  the  floor  of  tlie  House? 

MAKING   MONEY. 

The  plates  which  are  engraved  in  the  Treasury 
Department,  are  prepared  by  a  process  similar  to  that 
already  described.  The  printing  is  done  in  a  similar 
manner.  The  small  notes  contain  a  profusion  of 
bronze-work,  which  is  placed  on  the  paper  prepara 
tory  to  printing.  This  is  done  by  first  using  mordant 
— which  attaches  the  bronze  to  the  paper — upon  the 


PRESS  BOOM- 


JffiKCT   BUEEATJ. 


Of    THE    NATIONAL    CAPITAL.  311 

sheet,  by  an  ordinary  Hoe  cylinder  press,  in  the  samt 
manner  as  paper  is  printed.  The  bronzing  was  for 
merly  done  by  hand,  but  machines  are  now  used  foi 
that  purpose.  Two  women  or  girls  are  required  foi 
each  machine,  and  can  bronze  from  seven  thousand  to 
eight  thousand  sheets  per  day. 

The  notes  and  bonds,  after  beng  printed  and  num 
bered,  are  carefully  counted  in  a  separate  apartment, 
and  are  made  up  into  packages  of  a  prescribed  size 
and  value.  These  are  then  taken  to  the  vaults,  which 
are  in  charge  of  the  Assistant  Treasurer,  and  placed 
in  his  keeping,  to  be  issued  at  such  times  and  in  such 
quantities  as  the  Secretary  of  the  Treasury  may  order. 

Nearly  all  the  operations  connected  with  the  cur- 
rency  manufacture  are  conducted  by  females,  large  num 
bers  of  whom  are  employed  in  its  various  branches 


3l2  THE    SIGHTS    AND    SECRETS 


XIII. 
COUNTERFEITING. 

IN  spite  of  the  efforts  of  the  Government  to  sup 
press  counterfeiting,  and  to  place  its  notes  beyond  the 
reach  of  such  unlawful  skill,  all  kinds  of  money  issued 
by  the  Treasury  have  been  successfully  imitated,  and 
doubtless  will  continue  to  be  imitated.  The  opera 
tions  of  the  counterfeiters  are  but  rarely  carried  on  in 
Washington,  but  as  they  sometimes  commence  them 
there,  it  seems  to  us  proper  to  present  here  a  brief 
description  of  the  "  business." 

WHO   MAKE   THE   COUNTEEFEITS. 

It  is  said  that  the  security  of  the  notes  of  the 
Bank  of  England  lies  in  their  simplicity.  The  lines 
on  these  notes  are  so  few  and  plain,  that  a  genuine 
note  can  be  distinguished  from  a  counterfeit  at  a 
glance.  The  postal  currency  issued  by  our  Govern 
ment  during  the  early  part  of  the  Rebellion  to  supply 
the  demand  for  small  change,  had  a  similar  safeguard. 
These  notes  contained  nothing  but  the  vignette,  or 
head,  copied  from  the  postage  stamps,  and  a  few 
ornamental  lines  by  way  of  security.  The  work  was 
so  simple  that  it  was  difficult  to  imitate  successfully, 
and  consequently  ttllt  few  counterfeits  of  this  class 
Were  attempted. 


OP   THE    NATIONAL   CAPITAL.  813 

The  other  notes  of  the  Government,  however,, 
being  more  elaborate,  afford  a  better  opportunity  to 
the  counterfeiter,  since  they  enable  him  to  produce 
an  imitation,  the  general  effect  of  which  will  deceive 
many  good  judges.  Counterfeiting  requires  skill, 
since  a  badly  executed  note  will  be  quickly  detected. 
The  plates  used  for  printing  bogus  notes  are  prepared 
in  a  manner  similar  to  that  we  have  described  in  con 
nection  with  tho  genuine  notes,  and  the  workman  is 
generally  a  skilful  engraver.  The  majority  of  this 
class  are  said  to  be  foreigners,  who,  having  learned 
their  trade  in  Europe,  come  here  for  the  express  pur 
pose  of  counterfeiting.  Englishmen,  Germans,  and 
Italians  are  principally  engaged  in  it.  Sometimes  a 
man  who  has  been  discharged  from  one  of  the  large 
engraving  establishments  for  dissipation,  or  other 
faults,  becomes  a  counterfeiter ;  and  it  is  said  that 
one  engraver  employed  in  the  Treasury  Department 
at  Washington,  devoted  his  leisure  time  to  preparing 
currency  plates  for  some  "  outside  parties."  The 
transaction  was  discovered,  however,  the  parties  ar 
rested,  and  the  plates  turned  over  to  the  Treasury 
Department.  Jerry  Cowsden,  who  was  arrested  in 
New  York  a  few  years  ago,  is  said  to  have  been  an 
unusually  talented  engraver. 

HOW   THE   BUSINESS   IS   CAEEIED   ON. 

Counterfeiting  Government  notes  and  securities  ia 
said  to  be  carried  on  principally  in  the  neighborhood 
of  New  York.  Some  of  the  establishments  broken 
up  by  the  detectives  have  been  fitted  up  with  all  the 


314  THE    SIGHTS    AND    SECRETS 

necessary  machinery  and  conveniences  for  engraving, 
and  others  have  had  merely  a  limited  stock  of  tools. 
Sometimes  as  much  as  six  or  eight  thousand  dollars 
capital  is  invested  in  these  establishments. 

Here  the  plates  are  engraved,  and  the  notes  printed. 
The  paper  for  printing  them  ought  to  be  hard  to  get,  but 
the  counterfeiters  seem  to  have  no  difficulty  in  procuring 
a  sufficient  supply.  The  engravers  are  in  the  employ  of 
the  "  dealer,'1  who  pays  them  but  little  more  than  the 
same  work  would  bring  in  a  legitimate  establishment. 
As  soon  as  the  notes  are  printed,  they  are  turned  over 
to  the  dealer,  who  has  his  headquarters  generally  in 
New  York,  with  extensive  connections  in  all  parts  of 
the  country.  The  bogus  issue  is  made  up  in  small 
packages,  and  sent  to  those  ordering  it  by  mail  or  by  ex 
press,  an  experienced  dealer  being  nearly  always  able  to 
tell  with  considerable  exactness  what  amount  he  can  dis 
pose  of.  He  receives  about  $35  in  good  money  for  $100 
worth  of  bogus  notes.  His  agents  then  dispose  of  it  to 
those  who  expect  to  receive  the  full  value  of  the  note 
for  about  $45,  or  $50  on  the  hundred.  The  profit,  all 
things  considered,  is  but  slight  to  the  manufacturer,  or 
dealer,  or  agent,  the  heaviest  sum  being  realized  by 
those  who  receive  the  full  value  of  the  note.  The 
movements  of  the  agents  are  generally  agreed  upon 
beforehand,  and  the  bogus  issue  is  put  in  circulation 
simultaneously  in  various  part  of  the  country.  If 
the  imitation  is  good,  a  very  large  amount  is  put  in 
circulation  before  it  is  detected. 

The  heaviest  operations  are  carried  on  in  the  small 
or  fractional  notes,  those  of  larger  denominations  being 


OF   THE    NATIONAL    CAPITAL.  315 

generally  more  carefully  scrutinized  by  persons  receiv 
ing  them,  and  being  thus  more  liable  to  detection.  I< 
is  said  that  a  very  large  proportion  of  the  small  notes 
in  circulation  in  the  Western  States  consists  of  counter 
feits.  In  the  East  they  are  circulated  more  carefully, 
but  still  in  large  quantities.  Keepers  of  low-class 
grocery  stores,  bar-keepers,  butchers,  stage-drivers, 
canal  men,  and  travelling  pedlars  purchase  them,  and 
"  shove  "  them  off  upon  their  customers  with  consider 
able  success. 

The  fractional  notes  pay  the  counterfeiter  beet. 
The  National  Bank  Notes  come  next.  They  are  diffi 
cult  to  imitate,  but  some  very  successful  counterfeits  of 
this  class  have  been  set  afloat.  Their  circulation  is  so 
general  in  all  parts  of  the  country  that  few  persons 
examine  them  closely,  or  look  to  see  the  character  of 
the  picture  on  the  back,  which  is  distinctive  in  each 
denomination.  The  fives  of  this  issue  can,  without  very 
much  trouble,  be  altered  to  fifties,  which  is  often  done. 
Indeed,  the  operations  of  the  counterfeiters  with  this 
class  of  notes  are  exerted  chiefly  to  alter  their  denomi 
nations.  There  are  few  counterfeits,  if  any,  of  the 
whole  note  now  in  circulation,  and  the  altered  note 
may  be  detected  by  examining  the  picture  on  the  back, 
and  seeing  if  it  is  that  which  properly  belongs  on  a  bill 
of  that  denomination. 

The  Greenbacks  or  Legal  Tenders  are  the  most 
difficult  of  all  to  imitate.  Counterfeits  of  this  class, 
however,  have  been  issued.  The  genuine  notes  being 
novel  in  character,  and  having  many  distinctive  features, 
are  easily  recognized,  and  it  is  almost  impossible  to 


316  THE    SIGHTS    AND    SECRETS 

alter  the  denomination.  The  green  ink  cannot  be 
removed  without  injuring  the  note,  and  thus  prevents 
them  from  being  photographed. 

Still,  as  we  have  said,  ther«  have  been  counterfeits 
of  this  kind.  The  fifty  and  one  hundred  dollar  notes 
have  been  imitated  successfully.  A  one  hundred  dol- 
lai  counterfeit  was  executed  in  St.  Louis  a  few  years 
ago,  and  with  such  skill  that  ten  thousand  dollars 
worth  of  the  bogus  bills  were  put  in  circulation  before 
the  counterfeiter  was  caught  and  the  plate  secured. 

Notes  and  bonds  are  not  unfrequently  presented  at 
the  Treasury  for  examination,  and  are  found  to  have 
been  printed  from  the  original  plates,  but  without  the 
authority  of  the  Department.  Many  of  our  readers 
are  doubtless  familiar  with  the  occurrences  of  this 
kink  which  have  happened  since  the  close  of  the  war. 
The  question  arises,  How  did  these  plates  pass  into  the 
hands  of  these  parties  ?  The  Government  detectives 
have  taken  from  counterfeiters  fac-simile  impressions 
taken  from  the  plates  used  in  the  Treasury.  Every 
year  new  developments  of  this  kind  are  made.  More 
and  more  abundant  proofs  of  dishonesty  in  the  officials 
employed  in  the  Money  Bureau  are  furnished,  but  it 
seems  impossible  under  the  present  administration  to 
put  a  stop  to  them. 

HOW   TREASURY   PLATES   ARE   OBTAINED. 

The  following  report  of  an  investigation  made  be 
fore  Commissioner  Osborne,  of  New  York  City,  will 
throw  some  light  upon  the  practice  cf  printing  coun« 
terfeit  notes  with  Treasury  plates : 


OP  THE  NATIONAL  CAPITAL.  317 

"The  evidence  given  before  Commissioner  Osborne 
in  the  recent  case  of  counterfeiting  goes  to  show,  if  it 
is  to  be  relied  upon,  that  one  Holmes,  and  a  con- 
federate  named  Treat,  concocted  a  plan  with  Eli  and 
Edwin  Langdon,  father  and  son,  who  were  printers  in 
the  Treasury  Department.  Holmes  was  to  furnish  the 
Langdons,  through  the  agency  of  Treat,  with  lead 
plates,  known  technically  as  'leads.'  The  Langdons 
were  to  take  impressions  from  the  genuine  plates  in  the 
Department  on  these  leads,  and  return  them  to  Holmes. 

"  Edwin  Langdon,  the  son,  had  a  woman  who  lived 
with  him  as  his  wife,  and  they  passed  for  husband  and 
wife  in  Washington.  The  woman  was  employed  in 
the  Department  to  lay  sheets  on  the  press,  and  was 
known  there  by  the  name  of  Minnie  Morton. 

"  The  witness  testifies  that  these  leads  were  given 
to  Holmes  by  Langdon.  Minnie  testifies  that  she 
knew  the  plates  were  being  counterfeited  by  her  so- 
called  husband,  and  Langdon,  the  father,  also  testified 
that  he  knew  of  it. 

"  At  the  close  of  the  prosecution  one  of  the  counsel 
stated  that  the  Solicitor  of  the  Treasury  had  agreed 
not  to  allow  the  counterfeit  plates  to  be  put  in  evidence 
against  Holmes,  and  the  case  was  adjourned  to  give 
Mr.  Chatfield  an  opportunity  to  prove  his  assertions. 
Holmes  also  asserts  that  it  was  positively  promised  by 
Mr.  Jordan  that  if  he  would  give  up  the  plates,  and 
not  have  any  thing  more  to  do  with  counterfeiting,  he 
would  not  be  prosecuted. 

tk  If  these  assertions  are  true,  and  Mr.  Chatfield 
gives  his  son  as  authority,  a  most  singular  denouement 


318  THE    SIGHTS    AND    SECRETS 

will  be  given  to  the  affair.  None  of  these  counterfeit 
ers  will  be  punished.  Holmes  will  be  let  go  by  one 
Government  official ;  Eli  Langdon,  Treat,  and  the  two 
vomen  have  been  allowed  to  turn  State's  evidence ; 
Edwin  Langdon  is  dead,  and  no  one  remains  to  be  pun- 
ihed." 

When  it  is  remembered  that  not  one  single  coun 
terfeit  has  ever  been  printed  from  a  copy  of  a  genuine 
plate  made  by  any  of  the  great  Bank  Note  Companies 
of  the  Union,  in  consequence  of  the  rigid  and  watchful 
system  upon  which  their  operations  are  conducted,  the 
reader  will  not  be  slow  to  believe  that  these  irregulari 
ties  (to  use  no  stronger  term)  in  the  Treasury  are 
caused  by  a  laxity  in  the  management  of  the  Money 
Bureau,  which  is  most  criminal. 

Counterfeiting  is  punishable  with  imprisonment  in 
the  penitentiary.  It  is  very  hard  to  lay  hands  on  the 
operators,  however.  Months  are  frequently  passed  by 
the  Detectives  in  following  suspected  parties.  The 
counterfeiters  are  generally  on  the  alert,  and  are  adepts 
at  foiling  the  efforts  of  the  officers  of  the  law.  When 
captured  their  effects  are  turned  over  to  the  Govern 
ment  and  they  themselves  held  for  trial. 


OF   THE   NATIONAL    CAPITAL.  319 


XIV. 

THE  WAR  DEPARTMENT. 

THE  building  used  by  the  Department  of  War  is 
situated  on  Pennsylvania  Avenue,  west  of  the  Presi 
dent's  House.  It  is  a  plain,  old-fashioned  edifice  of 
brick,  painted  in  lead  color.  It  is  in  contemplation  to 
tear  down  this  building,  and  erect  one  more  suited  to 
the  military  renown  of  the  country. 

Previous  to  the  late  war,  the  old  building  was  am- 
ply  sufficient  for  the  wants  of  the  army,  but  the  mili 
tary  service  has  been  so  largely  increased  since  1860, 
that  several  buildings  in  the  immediate  vicinity  of  the 
Department  are  also  required  for  the  accommodation 
of  the  various  bureaux. 

The  War  Department  was  organized  by  Act  of 
Congress  in  August,  1789.  It  has  been  remodelled 
and  reconstructed  several  times  since  then,  and  has 
now  become  one  of  the  largest  and  most  important 
establishments  in  the  Government.  It  is  in  charge  of 
a  "  Secretary  of  the  Department  of  War,"  who  is  a 
member  of  the  President's  Cabinet.  His  subordinates 
are  the  General  Commanding  the  Army,  the  Adjutant 
General,  the  Quartermaster  General,  Paymaster  Gene 
ral,  Commissary  General,  Surgeon  General^  Chief  of 
Engineers,  and  Ch:ef  of  Ordnance, 


320  THE   SIGHTS    AND    SECRETS 

THE  SECRETARY   OF   WAR 

has  the  general  supervision  of  the  military  affairs  of 
the  country,  subject  to  the  direction  of  the  President* 
He  has  also  a  general  superintendence  of  the  whole 
Department,  and  all  orders  are  issued  in  his  name  and 
by  his  authority.  His  orders  and  decisions  can  be  re 
voked  only  by  the  President. 

The  first  Secretary  of  War  was  Henry  Knox,  of 
Massachusetts,  the  gallant  soldier  of  the  Revolution, 
His  successors  have  been,  Timothy  Pickering,  of  Mas 
sachusetts  ;  James  McHenry,  of  Maryland ;  S.  Dexter, 
of  Massachusetts ;  Roger  Griswold,  of  Connecticut ; 
Henry  Dearborn,  of  Massachusetts ;  William  Eustis, 
of  Massachusetts ;  John  Armstrong,  of  New  York ; 
James  Monroe,  of  Virginia ;  William  H.  Crawford,  of 
Georgia ;  Isaac  Shelby,  of  Kentucky ;  John  C.  Cal- 
houn,  of  South  Carolina  ;  James  Barbour,  of  Virginia ; 
Peter  B.  Porter,  of  New  York ;  John  H.  Eaton,  of 
Tennessee ;  Lewis  Cass,  of  Ohio ;  Joel  R.  Poinsett,  of 
South  Carolina;  John  Bell,  of  Tennessee;  John  C. 
Spencer,  of  New  York ;  William  Wilkins,  of  Pennsyl 
vania;  William  L.  Marcy,  of  New  York;  George  W. 
Crawford,  of  Georgia ;  Charles  M.  Conrad,  of  Louis 
iana  ;  Jefferson  Davis,  of  Mississippi ;  John  B.  Floyd, 
of  Virginia ;  Joseph  Holt,  of  Kentucky  ;  Simon  Cam 
eron,  of  Pennsylvania ;  Edwin  M.  Stanton,  of  Ohio; 
Ulysses  S.  Grant  (acting),  of  Illinois;  and  John  M. 
Schofield,  the  present  incumbent. 

THE   ADJUTANT    GENERAL 

is  the  medium  of  communication  to  the  Army  of  all 


OP  THE   NATIONAL   CAPITAL.  821 

general  and  special  orders  of  the  Secretary  of  War 
relating  to  matters  of  military  detail.  The  rolls  of 
the  Army  and  the  records  of  service  are  kept  by  him, 
and  all  commissions  are  made  out  in  his  office. 

THE   QUARTERMASTER-GENERAL 

is  in  charge  of  all  matters  pertaining  to  barracks  and 
quarters  for  the  troops,  transportation,  camp  and  garri 
son  equipage,  clothing,  fuel,  forage,  and  the  incidental 
expenses  of  the  military  service  of  the  United  States. 

THE   COMMISSARY-GENERAL 

has  charge  of  all  matters  connected  with  the  subsist 
ence  of  the  army.  The  splendid  manner  in  which  our 
armies  were  subsisted  during  the  four  years  of  the  Re 
bellion  is  the  best  evidence  that  can  be  offered  of  the 
excellence  and  efficiency  of  this  branch  of  the  service. 

THE   PAYMASTER-GENERAL 

has  charge  of  the  funds  appropriated  for  the  purpose 
of  paying  the  officers  and  men  of  the  army.  He  keeps 
the  accounts  of  this  branch  of  the  service,  and  all  the 
pay-rolls,  returns,  and  like  documents  are  filed  in  his 
office. 

THE  SURGEON-GENERAL 

is  charged  with  the  control  of  the  medical  service  of 
the  army.     He  prescribes  rules  for  the  government  of 
the  various  hospitals,  sick  camps,  etc.,  and  receives  all 
returns  and  issues  all  orders  connected  with  the  same. 
21 


322  THE    SIGHTS    AND    SECRETS 

THE   CHIEF    OF   ENGINEERS 

is  the  immediate  head  of  the  engineer  establishment  of 
the  army.  He  has  two  bureaux  under  his  control,  his 
own,  and  that  of  the  Topographical  Engineers.  His 
own  bureau  has  charge  of  all  matters  relating  to  the 
construction  of  fortifications,  and  to  the  Military  Acad 
emy.  The  Bureau  of  Topographical  Engineers  has 
charge  of  all  matters  relating  to  river  and  harbor  im 
provements,  and  the  survey  of  the  lakes,  the  construc 
tion  of  military  roads,  and  of  military  surveys  in  general. 

THE    CHIEF    OF    ORDNANCE 

has  charge  of  all  matters  relating  to  the  manufacture, 
purchase,  storage,  and  issue  of  all  ordnance,  arms,  and 
munitions  of  war.  He  also  controls  the  management 
of  the  arsenals  and  armories  of  the  United  States. 

THE    JUDGE-ADVOCATE  GENERAL 

is  the  law  officer  of  the  Department,  and  is  in  charge 
of  the  Bureau  of  Military  Justice.  He  supervises  all 
proceedings  connected  with  courts-martial,  courts  of 
inquiry,  and  other  military  courts. 

THE    UNITED   STATES   ARMY. 

The  military  establishment  of  the  United  States 
consists  of  about  50,000  enlisted  men,  on  duty  in 
various  parts  of  the  Union.  It  is  commanded  by  a 
General,  whose  headquarters  are  in  Washington,  and 
who  is  the  subordinate  of  the  President  of  the  United 
States,  who  is  the  Constitutional  Commander-in-Chief 
pf  the  Army  and  $avyt  The  other  officers  are  : 


>-  Brigadier-Generalsi 


OF   THE   NATIONAL   CAPITAL.  323 

1  Lieutenant-General. 

5  Major-Generals. 

10  Brigadier-Generals. 

I  Chief  of  Staff  to  the  General, 

1  Adjutant-General, 

1  Judge-Advocate-General, 

1  Quartermaster-General, 

1  Commissary-General, 

1  Surgeon-General, 

1  Paymaster-General, 

1  Chief  of  Engineers, 

1  Chief  of  Ordnance, 

87  Colonels. 

99  Lieutenant-Colonels, 

327  Majors. 

835  Captains. 

857  1st  Lieutenants. 

583  2d  Lieutenants. 

6  Chaplains. 

THE   HEADQUAKTEKS   OF   THE    ARMY 

are  located  in  a  small  red  brick  building  on  17th  street 
West,  south  of  Pennsylvania  Avenue,  and  diagonally 
opposite  the  War  Department.  The  building  was 
originally  a  private  residence,  and  has  a  decidedly ' 
unmilitary  appearance.  There  is  no  display,  no  show 
about  it.  Every  thing  is  modest  and  simple,  and  it  is 
the  last  place  a  stranger  would  take  to  be  the  head 
quarters  of  the  great  soldier  who  won  peace  and  union 
for  the  country. 


32  i  THE   SIGHTS    AND   SECRETS 


XV. 

THE  NAVY  DEPARTMENT. 

DURING  the  Revolution  and  for  some  years  after 
ward,  the  affairs  of  the  Navy  were  managed  by  a 
bureau  of  the  War  Department.  On  the  13th  of 
April,  1798,  Congress  enacted  a  law  "to  establish  an 
Executive  Department,  to  be  denominated  the  Depart 
ment  of  the  Navy."  It  was  not  until  after  the  close 
of  the  war  of  1812-15,  during  which  the  Navy  fought 
its  way,  against  heavy  obstacles,  into  favor  with  the 
public,  that  the  Government  began  to  bestow  upon 
the  service  the  fostering  care  it  merited  at  its  hands. 

The  building  used  by  the  Department  is  situated 
immediately  in  the  rear  of  the  War  Department,  and 
fronts  on  17th  Street  West.  It  is  a  miserably  rickety 
old  building,  and,  together  with  the  War  Department, 
forms  the  most  unsightly  object  in  the  neighborhood. 
It  is  said  to  be  the  intention  of  the  Government  to  re 
place  it  with  a  handsome  and  appropriate  structure. 
It  contains  many  interesting  trophies,  such  as  colors 
taken  from  the  enemy  in  battle,  <fec. 

The  Department  is  in  charge  of  a  Secretary  of  the 
Navy,  who  is  a  member  of  the  President's  Cabinet. 
His  subordinates  are  an  Assistants-Secretary,  and  the 
Chiefs  of  the  Bureaux  of  Yards  and  Docks,  Navigation, 
Construction,  $ud  Repairs?  Steam  Engineering,  Equip- 


OF  THE  NATIONAL  CAPITAL.          325 

ment  and  Recruiting,  Ordnance,  Provisions  and  Cloth 
ing,  and  Medicine  and  Surgery. 


THE    SECEETARY    OF   THE    NAVY 

has  the  general  charge  of  every  thing  connected  with 
the  Navy,  and  the  execution  of  all  the  laws  relating 
thereto  is  confided  to  him.  All  instructions  to  office rs 
in  command  of  squadrons  or  vessels,  all  orders  of  of 
ficers,  commissions  of  officers  both  in  the  Navy  and  in 
the  Marine  Corps,  appointments  of  commissioned  and 
warrant  officei-s,  and  orders  concerning  the  enlistment 
and  discharge  of  seamen  are  issued  by  him.  The 
orders  and  instructions  from  the  different  bureaux  are 
issued  by  his  authority,  as  are  those  of  the  Command 
ant  of  the  Marine  Corps. 

The  first  Secretary  of  the  Navy  (who  was  also 
Secretary  of  War,)  was  General  Henry  Knox.  His 
successors  have  been  ;  Timothy  Pickering,  of  Mass.  ; 
James  McHenry,  of  Md.  ;  George  Cabot,  of  Mass. ; 
Benjamin  Stoddert,  of  Md.  ;  Robert  Smith,  of  Md.  ; 
Jacob  Crowninshield,  of  Mass. ;  Paul  Hamilton,  of  S. 
C. ;  William  Jones,  of  Penn. ;  Benjamin  W.  Crownin 
shield,  of  Mass.  ;  Smith  Thompson,  of  N.  Y. ;  Samuel 
L.  Southard,  of  N.  J. ;  John  Branch,  of  N.  C.  ;  Levi 
Wood  bury,  of  N.  H.  ;  Mahlon  Dickerson,  of  N.  J.  ; 
James  K.  Paulding,  of  N.  Y. ;  George  E.  Badger,  of 
N.  C. ;  Abel  P.  Upshur,  of  Va. ;  Thomas  W.  Gilmer,  of 
Va. ;  John  Y.  Mason,  of  Va. ;  George  Bancroft,  of 
Mass.  ;  William  B.  Preston,  of  Va,  ;  William  A.  Gra- 
ham,  of  N.  C. ;  John  P.  Kennedy,  of  Md.  ;  Jame^  C. 


326  THE    SIGHTS    AND    SECRETS 

Dobbin,  of  N.  C. ;  Isaac  Toucey,  of  Conn. ;  and  Gideon 
Welles,  of  Connecticut,  the  present  incumbent. 

SECRETARY   WELLES. 

Gideon  Welles  is  a  native  of  Connecticut,  and  is 
over  sixty  years  old.  Martin  Van  Buren  made  him 
Post  Master  of  Hartford,  in  1840,  and  upon  the  acces 
sion  of  President  Polk  to  power  he  was  appointed  to  a 
post  in  the  Navy  Department,  which  he  filled  with 
decided  ability.  He  could  not  sanction  the  repeal  of 
the  Missouri  Compromise,  and  consequently  left  the 
Democratic  party  and  joined  the  Republicans,  in  whose 
ranks  he  played  a  conspicuous  part  during  the  Kansas- 
Nebraska  troubles.  In  1860,  he  was  a  member  of  the 
Chicago  Convention,  and  was  one  of  Committee  ap 
pointed  to  visit  Springfield,  and  inform  Mr.  Lincoln 
of  his  nomination.  In  March,  1861,  he  was  appointed 
Secretary  of  the  Navy,  which  position  he  still  holds. 

Mr.  Welles  has  been  much  abused,  and  unjustly 
censured  for  his  conduct  of  his  department ;  but  it  would 
seem  that  the  brilliant  record  made  by  the  service 
over  which  he  presided  during  the  Rebellion,  is  the 
best  vindication  he  could  desire. 

THE  BUREAU  OF  YARDS  AND  DOCKS 

has  charge  of  all  the  navy  yards,  docks,  wharves,  build 
ings,  machinery  in  navy  yards,  and  every  thing  connect 
ed  with  them,  and  the  Naval  Asylum.  The  Chief  of  the 
bureau  is  usually  an  officer  of  the  Navy,  of  the  grade 
of  Captain. 


OP   THE   NATIONAL    CAPITAL.  327 

THE    BUREAU    OF   NAVIGATION" 

is  in  charge  of  all  matters  pertaining  to  the  business 
of  navigation.  It  oversees  the  preparation  of  charts, 
sailing  directions,  and  issues  them  to  the  ships  of  the 
Government}  and  also  provides  chronometers,  barom- 
eters,  &c.,  and  such  books  as  are  furnished  by  the  Gov 
ernment  to  vessels  of  war.  "  The  United  States  Naval 
Observatory  and  Hydrographical  Office,"  at  George 
town,  and  the  Naval  Academy  at  Annapolis  are  under 
the  general  supervision  of  the  chief  of  this  bureau, 
who  is  generally  a  Captain  in  the  Navy. 

THE    BUREAU    OF   CONSTRUCTION    AND    REPAIRS 

is  presided  over  by  a  Captain  in  the  Navy,  and  has 
charge  of  the  construction  and  repair  of  all  vessels  of 
war  of  the  United  States,  and  of  the  purchase  of 
materials  for  such  work.  The  plans  for  all  new  vessels 
are  submitted  to,  and  decided  upon,  by  this  bureau, 
under  the  authority  of  the  Secretary. 

THE    BUREAU    OF   STEAM    ENGINEERING 

was  formerly  a  part  of  that  just  mentioned,  but  since 
the  almost  universal  employment  of  steam  vessels  of 
war,  has  risen  into  such  prominence  that  a  separate  ex 
istence  has  become  necessary  for  it.  It  is  in  charge  of  the 
Engineer  in-Chief  of  the  Navy,  to  whom  all  p]ans  for 
steam  machinery  are  submitted  for  examination.  He 
reports  upon  them  to  the  Secretary,  and  decides  upon 
thorn  by  authority  of  that  official. 

THE    BUREAU   OF   EQUIPMENT   AND   RECRUITING 

was,  also,  until  a  few  years  ago,  a  part  of  the  Bureau 


328  THE   SIGHTS   AND    SECRETS 

of  Construction  and  Repairs.  It  is  in  charge  of  a 
Captain  in  the  Navy,  and  superintends  the  enlistment 
of  seamen  and  petty  officers,  the  manning  of  vessels 
with  efficient  crews,  the  equipment  of  all  ships  put  in 
commission,  with  sails,  anchors,  water  tanks,  and  all 
other  stores  and  supplies  except  provisions  and  ord 
nance  stores. 

THE   BUEEAU   OF   ORDNANCE 

is  in  charge  of  a  Captain  in  the  Navy,  and  is  one  of  the 
most  important  in  the  Department.  It  has  charge  of 
all  ordnance  and  ordnance  stores,  the  manufacture  or 
the  purchase  of  cannon,  guns,  powder,  shot,  shells,  and 
like  articles,  and  of  the  equipment  of  vessels  of  war 
with  ordnance  and  ordnance  stores  of  all  kinds.  All 
plans  for  improved  arms  or  ammunition  are  submitted 
to,  examined  by,  and  decided  upon  by  it,  under  the 
authority  of  the  Secretary.  The  chief  of  the  bureau 
is  generally  an  officer  of  experience  and  ability. 

THE   BUREAU   OF   PROVISIONS   AND    CLOTHING 

has  charge  of  the  collection  and  issuing  of  all  the 
provisions  and  clothing  for  the  use  of  the  Navy,  and 
of  all  contracts  for  furnishing  such  stores.  Its  duties 
are  similar  to  those  of  the  Commissary-General's  and 
Quartermaster-General's  department  in  the  Army. 

THE  BUREAU  OF  MEDICINE  AND  SURGERY 

is  in  charge  of  the  Chief  Surgeon  of  the  Navy.  It 
has  authority  over  every  thing  relating  to  medicines 
and  medical  stores,  the  treatment  of  the  sick  and 
wounded,  and  the  management  of  naval  hospitals. 


OF   THE   NATIONAL    CAPITAL.  329 

THE   UNITED   STATES   NAVY. 

The  naval  establishment  of  the  United  States 
consists  of  206  vessels,  carrying  1,743  guns.  Of 
these  35  are  first-rates,  carrying  662  guns.  Each 
vessel  is  of  at  least  2,400  tons .;  the  second-rates,  of 
from  1,200  to  2,400  tons,  are  37  in  number,  and  carry 
483  guns;  the  third-rates,  of  from  600  to  1,200  tons, 
number  76  vessels,  and  carry  414  guns ;  the  fourth- 
rates,  under  600  tons,  are  38  in  number,  and  carry  184 
guns.  Of  the  above  force,  52  are  iron-clads,  carry  129 
guns ;  95  are  screw  steamers,  carrying  938  guns ;  28 
are  paddle-wheel  steamers,  carrying  199  guns  ;  and  31 
are  sailing  vessels,  carrying  477  guns. 

The  active  list  of  the  service  is  as  follows : 

1  admiral,  1  vice-admiral,  10  rear-admirals,  25 
commodores,  49  captains,  89  commanders,  139  lieu 
tenant-commanders,  45  lieutenants,  30  masters,  52  en 
signs,  157  midshipmen,  67  surgeons,  37  passed  assistant- 
surgeons,  36  assistant-surgeons,  79  paymasters,  56 
passed  assistant-paymasters,  52  chief-engineers,  90 
first  assistant-engineers,  137  second  assistant-engineers, 
24  third  assistant-engineers,  19  chaplains,  11  pro 
fessors,  7  naval  constructors,  5  assistant  naval  con 
structors,  52  boatswains,  57  gunners,  39  carpenters, 
31  sailmakers.  In  the  Naval  Academy,  there  are  348 
midshipmen  undergoing  instruction,  16  third  assistant- 
engineers,  and  i  cadet  engineer. 

The  retirf-d  li&t  is  as  follows : 

18  rear  admirals,  60  commodores,  31  captains,  17 
commanders,  3  lieutenant-commanders,  6  masters,  1 
midshipman,  24  surgeons,  3  passed  assistant-surgeons, 


330  THE    SIGHTS    AND    SECRETS 

3  assistant-surgeons,  14  paymasters,  14  assistant-^n 
gineers,  8  chaplains,  2  professors,  6  boatswains,  6  gun 
ners,  6  carpenters,  5  sailmakers. 

THE   MAKINE   COEPS 

consists  of  a  force  of  picked  soldiers,  detachments  of 
whom  are  assigned  to  vessels  of  war  for  the  purpose 
of  preserving  order  and  doing  guard  duty,  and  assist 
ing  in  action.  They  have  their  own  officers,  and  while 
forming  a  part  of  the  naval  establishment,  are  yet  dis 
tinct  from  it.  The  corps  is  commanded  by  a  com 
mandant,  who  has  the  rank  of  Brigadier-General. 


OP   THE   NATIONAL   CAPITAL.  33] 


XVL 

THE   NAVY   YARD. 

OWING  to  the  difficult  navigation  of  the  Potomac 
River,  the  Washington  Navy  Yard  has  never  been  as 
important,  as  a  building  station,  as  those  located  on 
the  coast.  Still,  it  is  one  of  the  most  interesting  fea 
tures  of  the  city,  and  is  richly  worth  visiting.  It  is 
situated  on  the  "  Anacostia,"  or  Eastern  Branch  of 
the  Potomac,  at  the  termination  Eighth  Street  East, 
and  may  be  reached  by  means  of  the  cars  of  the 
Washington  and  Georgetown  Street  Railway. 

It  was  established  in  1800  for  the  purpose  of  con 
structing  several  vessels  of  war,  which  were  ordered 
to  be  built  here,  and  covers  an  area  of  twenty  acres, 
which  is  surrounded  by  a  high  brick  wall.  The  main 
entrance  is  at  the  foot  of  Eighth  Street,  through  a 
handsome  gateway,  designed  by  the  late  Benjamin  H. 
Latrobe,  Esq.  Near  the  gateway  are  several  comfort 
able  residences  designed  for  the  officers  (and  their 
families)  on  duty  at  the  yard.  Quarters  for  the 
marines  and  other  enlisted  men  are  also  provided 
within  the  enclosure. 

t 

THE   GROUNDS 

are  beautifully  laid  off,  handsomely  shaded,  and  are 
kept  in  the  most  perfect  order.     They  are  ornamented 


332  THE    SIGHTS    AND    SECRETS 

with  a  fine  display  of  cannon  and  shot  and  shell 
Many  trophies  won  by  our  navy  during  former  wars, 
and  during  the  Rebellion,  are  to  be  seen  here.  The 
beautiful  column  erected  to  the  memory  of  the  heroic 
officers  and  men  who  fell  at  the  siege  of  Tripoli,  occu 
pies  a  conspicuous  place. 

THE   MACHINE   SHOPS 

are  extensive,  and  most  interesting.  They  are  kept 
busy  at  all  times,  for  this  is  one  of  the  principal 
establishments  of  the  Government  for  constructing 
the  equipments  of  vessels.  The  articles  turned  out 
here  have  stood  the  severest  tests,  and  are  acknowl 
edged  to  be  among  the  best  in  the  service.  The 
anchors  and  cables  made  here  are  particularly  good. 

Two  heavy  "  Nasmyth,"  or  Steam  Hammers, 
weighing  3,600,  and  2,240  pounds,  are  used  for  forg 
ing  anchors.  The  forges  attached  to  them  are  worked 
by  a  fan  blower,  which  is  turned  by  the  steam  engine 
in  the  machinist's  department.  A  "  Kirk,"  or  Direct 
Steam  Hammer,  in  connection  with  a  blast  forge,  is 
used  for  working  up  the  scrap  iron  of  the  various 
ftavy  Yards  and  war  vessels  into  bolts  and  blooms. 

The  massive  chain  cables  turned  out  from  this 
Yard,  are  made  in  another  shop,  which  is  provided 
with  a  Hydrostatic  press  for  testing  their  strength. 
Nearly  one  hundred  men  are  employed  in  forging 
these  cables. 

A  separate  department  is  provided  for  the  manu 
facture  of  galleys,  cabooses,  copper  powder-tanks,  and 


OF   THE   NATIONAL   CAPITAL.  833 

the  various  articles  of  brass-work  needed  in  a  ship  of 
war.  ^ 

The  large  iron-foundry  is  kept  constantly  at  work, 
casting  heavy  articles  of  iron  used  for  machinery. 
Steam  cylinders,  shafts,  and  such  articles,  are  made  here. 

The  ordnance  department  manufactures  light  brass 
ordnance,  boat  howitzers,  shot,  shells,  percussion  caps, 
musket  and  pistol  balls,  and  improved  projectiles  of 
various  kinds.  The  percussion-cap  and  bullet-making 
machines  are  very  interesting,  as  are,  many  of  the 
others  in  use. 

In  the  boiler-making  department,  the  immense 
boilers  used  in  the  largest  class  ships  of  war  are  made 
in  the  most  skilful  manner.  The  boilers  made  here 
are  of  the  very  best  description,  and  are  thoroughly 
and  severely  tested  before  being  received  into  the 
service. 

The  "  machine  shop  "  is  fitted  up  with  every  de 
scription  of  apparatus  used  in  making  marine  steam 
engines  and  machinery  of  other  kinds.  It  is  one  of 
the  most  complete  establishments  in  the  Yard. 

The  "  rolling  mill "  is  provided  with  a  two  hun 
dred  horse-power  engine,  and  a  full  equipment  of 
machinery.  Here  are  manufactured  all  the  bolts, 
sheathing,  braziers'  and  boiler  copper  used  in  the 
Navy,  and  here  the  scrap-iron  is  worked  into  bolts 
and  bars. 

The  pyrotechnical  laboratory  is  on  the  western 
side  of  the  Yard.  It  employs  a  large  force  of  opera 
tives.  Ammunition  of  all  kinds,  rockets,  torpedoes, 
<fec.,  are  prepared  here. 


334  THE    SIGHTS    AND    SECRETS 

Two  ship-houses  stand  at  the  water's  edge,  one 
of  whichjs  provided  with  a  marine  railway  for  haul 
ing  up  steamers  for  repair. 

The  frigate  Minnesota  was  built  at  this  Yard,  and 
also  several  other  lighter  vessels.  During  the  late 
war,  several  vessels  of  different  classes  were  built 
here,  and  the  various  departments  connected  with  the 
Yard  were  taxed  to  their  utmost  capacity  to  supply 
the  demand  upon  them. 


OF   THE   NATIONAL    CAPITAL.  335 


XVII. 
THE  DEPARTMENT  OF  THE  INTERIOR. 

THE  Department  of  the  Interior  is  comparatively 
new,  though  it  is  now  one  of  the  most  important  in 
the  Government.  It  was  organized  in  1849,  and 
placed  in  charge  of  certain  portions  of  the  public 
service  which  had  been  previously  connected  with 
the  Treasury  and  State  Departments.  Its  quarters 
are  at  present  in  the  Patent  Office,  to  which  it  has  no 
legal  claim,  and  it  is  presided  over  by  a  Secretary, 
who  is  a  member  of  the  President's  Cabinet.  His 
subordinates  are  the  Commissioners  of  the  Public 
Lands,  Patents,  Indian  Affairs,  Pensions,  and  the 
Census. 

THE  SECRETARY  OF  THE  INTERIOR 

is  charged  with  the  general  supervision  of  matters 
relating  to  the  public  lands,  the  pensions  granted  by 
the  Government,  the  management  of  the  Indian 
tribes,  the  granting  of  patents,  the  management  of 
the  Agricultural  Bureau,  of  the  lead  and  other  mines 
of  the  United  States,  the  affairs  of  the  Penitentiary  of 
the  District  of  Columbia,  the  overland  routes  to  the 
Pacific,  including  the  Great  Pacific  Railway,  and  the 
taking  of  the  Census,  and  also  the  direction  of  the 
acts  of  the  Connnissioner  of  Public  Buildings. 


336  THE   SIGHTS   AND   SECRETS 

Insane  Hospital  for  the  District  of  Columbia  and  the 
Army  and  Navy  is  also  under  his  control. 

The  first  Secretary  of  the  Interior  was  Thomas 
Ewing,  of  Ohio,  appointed  by  President  Taylor.  His 
successors  have  been  Alexander  H.  H.  Stuart,  of  Vir 
ginia  ;  Robert  McClelland,  of  Michigan ;  Jacob  Thomp 
son,  of  Mississippi;  J.  P.  Usher;  and  O.  H.  Browning, 
of  Illinois,  the  present  incumbent. 

THE   COMMISSIONER   OF   THE   GENERAL   LAND   OFFICE 

has  charge  of  the  survey,  management,  and  sale  of  the 
public  lands  of  the  United  States.  He  issues  the 
titles  therefor,  whether  derived  from  confirmations  of 
grants  made  by  former  governments,  by  sales,  dona 
tions  of  grants  for  schools,  military  bounties,  and 
public  improvements,  and  likewise  the  revision  of 
Virginia  military  bounty-land  claims,  and  the  issuing 
of  scrip  in  lieu  thereof.  The  Land-Office  audits  its 
own  accounts.  It  is  also  charged  with  laying  off  the 
land  grants  made  to  the  various  railroad  schemes  by 
Congress,  which  is  a  heavy  undertaking  in  itself. 
The  mines  belonging  to  the  Government  are  also  in 
charge  of  this  office. 

THE    COMMISSIONER    OF   PENSIONS 

examines  and  adjudicates  all  claims  arising  under  the 
various  and  numerous  laws  passed  by  Congress,  grant 
ing  bounty  lands  or  pensions  for  military  and  naval 
services  rendered  the  United  States  at  various  times. 
The  Rebellion  greatly  increased  the  pension  list,  but 


OF   THE   NATIONAL   CAPITAL.  337 

few  persons  have  been  found  ready  to  refuse  a  fair 
sum  to  the  families  of  those  who  died  for  the  Union. 

THE   COMMISSIOKER   OF  ESTDIAN  AFFAERS 

has  charge  of  all  the  matters  relating  to  the  Indian 
tribes  on  the  frontier.  The  Government  has  at  sun 
dry  times  purchased  the  lands  of  various  tribes  re 
siding  east  of  the  Mississippi  River,  and  has  settled 
the  Indians  upon  reservations  in  the  extreme  West. 
For  some  of  these  lands  a  perpetual  annuity  was 
guaranteed  the  tribes,  for  others  an  annuity  for  a  cer 
tain  specified  time,  and  for  others  still  a  temporary 
annuity  payable  during  the  pleasure  of  the  President 
or  Congress.  The  total  sum  thus  pledged  these 
tribes,  amounts  to  nearly  twenty-one  and  a  half  mil 
lions.  It  is  funded  at  five  per  cent.,  the  interest  alone 
being  paid  to  the  tribes.  This  interest  amounts  to 
over  two  hundred  thousand  dollars.  It  is  paid  in 
various  ways — in  money,  in  provisions,  and  in  cloth 
ing.  The  Commissioner  has  charge  of  all  these  deal 
ings  with  the  savages,  and,  of  late,  serious  charges 
have  been  brought  against  his  Bureau  and  agents,  by 
officers  of  the  army,  and  others.  These  gentlemen 
assert  that  the  agents  employed  by  the  Indian  Bureau 
are  thoroughly  corrupt ;  that  they  swindle  the  savages 
out  of  a  very  large  proportion  of  the  money  due 
them,  and  then  urge  them  on  to  the  commission  of 
acts  of  hostility  against  the  whites,  in  order  to  avert 
an  inquiry  into  their  own  misdeeds.  It  is  charged 
that  there  is  a  vast  "  Indian  Ring  "  in  active  existence, 
with  its  headquarters  in  Washington?  and  its  ramifi- 
22 


838  THE   SIGHTS   AND   SECRETS 

cations  all  along  the  frontier,  whose  only  object  is  to 
swindle  the  poor  savages  for  the  purpose  of  enriching 
its  members.  It  is  also  boldly  asserted  that  the  em 
ployees  of  the  Indian  Bureau  form  a  considerable 
part  of  this  "  Ring,"  and  many  persons  well  informed 
in  the  matter,  deliberately  charge  the  "  Ring  "  and  its 
agents  with  the  responsibility  of  the  recent  and  pres 
ent  Indian  hostilities.  So  serious,  indeed,  have  these 
charges  become,  that  a  movement  is  on  foot  to  place 
the  tribes  under  the  protection  of  the  War  Depart 
ment,  as  the  only  means  of  getting  rid  of  the  "  Ring." 

THE   CENSUS   BUEEAU 

is  now  a  permanent  branch  of  the  Interior  Depart 
ment.  Its  organization  is  not  yet  completed.  Here 
tofore  it  has  been  the  custom  to  disband  its  force  im 
mediately  after  each  census  is  taken.  It  is  supposed 
that  in  a  few  years,  at  the  longest,  the  Bureau  will  be 
permanently  organized  as  the  Bureau  of  Statistics. 
The  following  table  is  interesting  in  this  connection : 

DATE.  COST  OF  CENSUS.  POPULATION. 

1790 $44,337.28  3,929,827 

1800 66,109.04  5,305,925 

1810 178,444.67  7,239,814 

1820....  208,525.99  9,638,131 

1830 378,545.13  12,866,020 

1840 833,370.95  17,069,453 

1850 1,318,027.53  23,191,876 

I860 , , , ,  •  1,642,000,00  81,429,891 


OF    THE   NATIONAL    CAPITAL.  339 


XVIII. 

THE  PATENT  OFFICE. 

THE  Patent  Office  is  properly  a  bureau  of  the  De 
partment  of  the  Interior,  but  it  is  in  all  its  proportions 
and  features  so  vast  and  imposing  that  we  have  decided 
to  devote  a  separate  chapter  to  it. 

It  is  in  charge  of  a  Commissioner  of  Patents,  who 
is  appointed  by  the  President,  by  and  with  the  advice 
and  consent  of  the  Senate.  It  is  entrusted  with  the 
duty  of  granting  letters-patent  securing  a  profitable 
reward  to  any  person  inventing  articles  beneficial  to 
civilization.  It  was  formerly  a  part  of  the  Treasury 
Department,  and  is  one  of  the  best  known  branches 
of  the  Government.  Patents  are  not  monopolies,  as 
some  persons  suppose,  but  are  protections  granted  to 
individuals,  as  a  reward  for,  and  an  incentive  to  dis 
coveries  and  inventions  of  all  kinds  pertaining  to  the 
useful  arts.  The  bureau  is  allowed  to  charge  for  these 
letters  of  protection  only  the  cost  of  investigating  and 
registering  the  invention.  It  is  a  self-supporting  in 
stitution,  its  receipts  being  largely  in  excess  of  its  ex 
penditures,  so  that  it  is  confidently  expected  that  it 
will  be  able,  before  many  years  have  elapsed,  to  pay 
for  its  splendid  building  entirely  out  of  its  own  earn 
ings.  From  July,  1836,  to  December,  1860,  it  issued 
81,004  patents,  a  fact  which  attests  its  industry,  and 


340  THE    SIGHTS    AND    SECRETS 

the  fertility  of  the  American  inventive  genius.  During 
the  Rebellion  many  more  patents  were  issued,  so  that 
the  whole  number  cannot  now  be  much  less  than  forty 
thousand. 

A  large  library  of  great  value  is  attached  to  the 
Patent  Office,  containing  many  "  volumes  of  the  high 
est  scientific  value ;  under  judicious  arrangement,  a 
collection  already  rich  and  ample  is  forming,  of  every 
work  of  interest  to  the  inventors,  and  that  new,  in 
creasing,  important  class  of  professional  men — the  at 
torneys  in  patent  cases.  Upon  its  shelves  may  be 
found  a  complete  set  of  the  reports  of  the  British 
Patent  Commissioners,  of  which  there  are  only  six 
copies  in  the  United  States.  The  reports  of  French 
patents  are  also  complete,  and  those  of  various  other 
countries  are  being  obtained  as  rapidly  as  possible.  A 
system  of  exchanges  has  been  established,  which  em 
ploys  three  agents  abroad  ;  and,  in  addition  to  various 
and  arduous  duties,  the  librarian  annually  despatches 
several  hundred  copies  of  the  reports." 

Persons  having  business  with  the  bureau  will  always 
do  well  to  avail  themselves  of  the  services  of  some 
experienced  and  responsible  attorney,  of  whom  there 
are „ many  in  Washington  and  elsewhere.  This  will 
save  endless  trouble  and  annoyance,  and  much  expense, 
for  with  all  its  excellences,  the  Patent  Office  is  thor 
oughly  under  the  dominion  of  red  tape. 

THE   BUILDING 

in  which  the  bureau  is  quartered  occupies  two  whole 
squares,   and  fronts   south  on  F  Street,  north  on  G 


OF   THE   NATIONAL    CAPITAL.  341 

Street,  east  on  Yth  Street  West,  and  west  on  9th 
Street  West.  The  length  of  the  building,  from  Sev 
enth  to  Ninth  Streets,  is  410  feet,  and  the  width,  from 
F  Street  to  G  Street,  is  275  feet.  It  is  built  up  along 
the  four  sides,  with  a  large  interior  quadrangle  about 
265  by  135  feet  in  size.  It  is  constructed  in  the  plain 
est  Doric  style,  of  massive  crystallized  marble,  and 
though  devoid  of  exterior  ornament  is  one  of  the  most 
magnificent  buildings  in  the  city.  It  is  grand  in  its 
simplicity,  and  its  architectural  details  are  pure  and 
tasteful.  It  is  ornamented  with  massive  porticoes,  one 
on  each  front,  which  add  much  to  its  appearance.  The 
eastern  portico  is  much  admired.  That  on  the  south 
front  is  an  exact  copy  of  the  portico  of  the  Pantheon 
at  Rome. 

The  interior  is  divided  into  three  stories.  The 
ground  and  second  floors  are  arranged  in  offices  for  the 
accommodation  of  the  business  of  the  Interior  Depart 
ment,  but  the  third  floor  is  occupied  by  an  immense 
saloon  extending  entirely  around  the  quadrangle.  This 
is  used  as 

THE   MODEL-BOOM, 

but  partakes,  as  far  as  the  south  hall  is  concerned,  of 
the  character  of  a  museum.  The  models  and  other 
articles  are  arranged  in  glass  cases  on  each  side  of  the 
room,  ample  space  being  left  in  the  centre  for  prome 
nading.  There  are  two  rows  of  cases,  one  above  the 
other — the  upper  row  being  placed  in  a  handsome  light 
gallery  of  iron,  reached  by  tasteful  iron  stairways,  and 
extending  entirely  around  the  east,  north,  and  west 


342  THE  SIGHTS  AND  SECRETS 

halls.  The  halls  themselves  are  paved  with  handsome 
tiles.  The  ceiling  is  supported  by  a  double  row  of  im 
posing  pillars,  which  also  act  as  supports  to  the  galle 
ries,  and  both  the  walls  and  ceiling  are  finished  in  mar 
ble  panels  and  frescoes.  A  more  beautiful  saloon  is 
not  to  be  found  in  America. 

THE    SOUTH   HALL. 

You  enter  from  the  beautiful  south  portico,  pass 
through  the  marble  hall,  and  up  the  broad  stairs  to  the 
door  of  the  saloon.  Entering  it,  you  find  a  large  re 
gister,  with  pens  and  ink,  at  the  right  of  the  door,  in 
which  you  are  expected  to  record  your  name  and  the 
date  of  your  visit. 

The  first  case  on  the  right  of  the  entrance  contains 


at  which  he  worked  when  a  journeyman  printer  in 
London.  It  is  old  and  worm-eaten,  and  is  only  held 
together  by  means  of  bolts  and  iron  plates,  and  bears 
but  little  resemblance  to  the  mighty  machines  by  which 
the  printing  of  to-day  is  done.  But  a  greater  mind 
than  that  which  invented  the  steam-press,  toiled  at  this 
clumsy  old  frame.  It  calls  up  the  whole  history  of  the 
philosopher,  and  quietly  teaches  a  powerful  and  wise 
lesson,  as  it  stands  there  in  its  glass  case,  safe  from  the 
defiling  hands  of  relic-hunters. 

The  next  case  is  devoted  to  models  of  water-closets 
which  though  useful  and  instructive,  are  not  calculated 
to  deepen  the  patriotic  impressions  aroused  by  Frank- 
Liu's  press.  Then  come  mode  Is  of  "  fire-escapes,1'  some 


OF   THE   NATIONAL    CAPITAL.  343 

of  which  are  curiosities  in  their  way,  and  well  worth 
studying.  The  impression  left  by  the  majority,  how 
ever,  is  that  if  they  constitute  one's  only  hope  of  es 
cape  in  case  of  fire,  an  old-fashioned  headlong  leap 
from  a  window  may  just  as  well  be  attempted  at  once. 

Near  by  are  the  models  of  those  inventive  geniuses 
who  have  attempted  to  extinguish  conflagrations  by 
discharging  a  patent  cartridge  into  the  burning  mass. 
The  guns  from  which  these  cartridges  are  thrown  are 
most  remarkable  in  design. 

Then  follow  tobacco-cutting  machines  of  various 
kinds,  all  sorts  of  skates,  billiard-table  models,  ice- 
cutters,  billiard  registers,  improved  fire-arms,  and  toys 
of  different  designs,  among  which  is  a  most  ingenious 
model  of  a  walking  horse. 

Having  reached  the  end  of  this  row  of  cases,  we 
cross  over  to  the  south  side  of  the  hall.  The  first 
cases  contain  models  of  cattle  and  sheep  stalls,  vermin 
and  rat  traps,  and  are  followed  by  a  handsome  dis 
play  of  articles  in  gutta  percha,  manufactured  by  the 
Goodyear  Company.  They  are  well  worth  examining 
carefully. 

In  the  bottom  of  one  of  these  cases  is  an  old 
mariner's  compass  of  the  year  1604,  presented  by  Ex- 
Governor  Wise,  of  Virginia,  then  U.  S.  Minister  to 
Brazil,  in  the  name  of  Lieut.  Sheppard,  U.  S.  N.  The 
ticket  attached  to  the  compass  is  written  in  the  bold, 
running  hand  of  the  famous  ex-rebel  statesman.  Near 
by  is  a  razor  which  belonged  to  the  celebrated  naviga 
tor,  Captain  Cook.  It  was  recovered  from  the  natives 
of  the  island  upon  which  he  was  murdered,  and  is 


344  THE    SIGHTS    AND    SECRETS 

hardly  such  an  instrument  as  any  of  those  who  be 
hold  it  would  care  to  use.  A  piece  of  the  first  Atlan 
tic  cable  lies  just  below  it 

THE   TREATIES. 

Several  of  the  cases  following  contain  the  original 
treaties  of  the  United  States  with  Foreign  Powers. 
They  are  written  upon  heavy  sheets  of  vellum,  in 
wretchedly  bad  hands,  and  have  a  worn  and  faded 
appearance.  All,  save  the  treaties  with  England  and 
the  Eastern  nations,  are  written  in  French,  and  are  all 
furnished  with  a  multiplicity  of  red  and  green  seals. 
The  first  is  the  treaty  with  Austria,  and  bears  the 
weak,  hesitating  signature  of  Francis  I.  The  signa 
ture  of  Alexander  I.,  attached  to  the  first  Russian 
treaty,  has  more  character  in  it.  The  treaty  of  peace 
with  England  in  1814,  which  ended  our  second  war 
with  that  Power,  bears  the  signature  of  George  IV., 
which  is  so  characteristic  of  the  individual,  that  one 
almost  seems  to  see  the  contemptible  monarch's  face 
on  the  parchment.  The  treaty  of  1803,  with  the 
Republic  of  France,  is  signed  "  Bonaparte"  in  a 
nervous,  hasty  hand.  There  is  no  hesitation  about 
the  signature  ;  it  is  not  a  clerkly  hand,  but  it  is  vigor 
ous  and  decisive.  Bernadotte's  smooth  and  flowing 
hand,  treacherous  and  plausible  in  appearance,  and  a 
true  index  of  his  character,  adorns  the  first  treaty 
with  Sweden.  The  original  treaty  with  Turkey  is  a 
most  curious  document.  It  consists  of  a  number  of 
long  slips  of  parchment,  covered  with  columns  of 
Turkish  characters.  Near  by  it  hangs  a  bag,  in 


OP   THE   NATIONAL   CAPITAL.  345 

which  it  was  conveyed  to  this  country.  The  bag 
is  its  legal  covering  or  case,  and  is  provided  with  a 
huge  ball  of  red  wax  by  way  of  a  seal.  Next  to  it 
is  the  first  treaty  of  alliance  with  France — the  famous 
treaty  of  1778 — which  gave  the  aid  of  the  French 
king  to  the  cause  of  the  suffering  and  struggling 
States  of  the  New  Republic.  It  is  signed  by  the  ill- 
fated  Louis  XVI.  The  "  Louis  "  is  written  in  a  round, 
scholarly  hand,  but  the  lines  are  delicate,  as  if  the  pen 
did  not  press  the  paper  with  the  firmness  of  a  true 
king.  The  French  treaty  of  1822  bears  the  auto 
graph  of  Louis  XVIIL,  and  that  of  1831,  the  signa 
ture  of  Louis  Philippe.  Don  Pedro  I.,  Emperor  of 
Brazil,  has  affixed  his  hand  to  the  Brazilian  treaty, 
and  the  name  of  Ferdinand  (the  last,  and  least)  graces 
that  with  Spain.  These  old  parchments  are  very  in 
teresting,  and  one  may  well  spend  an  hour  or  two  in 
examining  them. 

In  the  glass  cases  with  the  treaties  are  several 
handsome  Oriental  articles — a  Persian  carpet,  and 
horse-cover,  presented  to  President  Van  Buren  by 
the  Imam  of  Muscat,  and  two  magnificent  rifles, 
presented  to  President  Jefferson  by  the  Emperor  of 
Morocco.  These  rifles  are  finished  in  the  highest 
style  of  Eastern  art,  and  are  really  very  beautiful. 
In  the  same  cases  are  collections  of  medals,  some  of 
European  sovereigns,  and  others  of  American  celeb 
rities.  Among  them  is  a  copy  of  the  medal  awarded 
by  Congress  to  the  captors  of  Major  Andre.  Near 
these  are  several  splendid  Eastern  sabres,  presented 
by  the  great  Ali  Pacha,  the  Bey  of  Egypt,  to  Cap 


346  THE    SIGHTS    AND    SECRETS 

tain  Perry  and  the  officers  of  the  U.  S.  Ship  of  War 
Concord,  at  Alexandria  (Egypt)  in  1832. 

The  next  cases  at  once  absorb  our  attention,  for 
they  contain 

THE    WASHINGTON   EELICS, 

which  are  amongst  the  greatest  treasures  of  the  na 
tion.  They  consist  of  the  camp- equipage,  and  other 
articles  used  by  General  Washington  during  the  Rev 
olution.  They  are  just  as  he  left  them  at  the  close  of 
the  war,  and  were  given  to  the  Government  for  safe 
keeping  after  his  death.  Here  are  the  tents  which 
constituted  the  headquarters  in  the  field  of  the  great 
soldier.  They  are  wrapped  tightly  around  the  poles, 
just  as  they  were  tied  when  they  were  struck  for  the 
last  time,  when  victory  had  crowned  his  country's 
arms,  and  the  long  war  was  over.  Every  cord,  every 
button  and  tent-pin  is  in  its  place,  for  he  was  careful 
of  little  things.  His  blankets,  and  the  bed-curtain 
worked  for  him  by  his  wife,  and  his  window-curtains, 
are  all  in  an  excellent  state  of  preservation.  His 
chairs  are  in  perfect  order,  not  a  round  being  broken ; 
and  the  little  square  mirror  in  his  dressing-case  is  not 
even  cracked.  The  washstand  and  table  are  also  well 
kept.  His  knife-case  is  filled  with  plain  horn-handle 
knives  and  forks,  which  were  deemed  "  good  enough 
for  him ; "  and  his  mess-chest  is  a  curiosity.  It  is  a 
plain  wooden  trunk,  covered  with  leather,  with  a  com 
mon  lock,  the  hasp  of  which  is  broken.  It  is  divided 
by  small  partitions  of  thin  wood,  and  the  compart 
ments  are  provided  with  bottles,  still  stained  with  the 


0*   THE   NATIONAL    CAPITAL.  84) 

liquids  they  once  held,  tin  plates,  common  knives  and 
forks,  and  other  articles  pertaining  to  such  an  estab 
lishment.  In  these  days  of  luxury,  an  ordinary  ser 
geant  would  not  be  satisfied  with  so  simple  and  plain 
an  establishment;  but  our  forefathers  doubtless  con 
sidered  it  well  suited  to  their  great  commander.  His 
cooking  utensils,  bellows,  andirons,  and  iron  money- 
chest,  all  of  which  went  with  him  from  Boston  to 
Yorktown,  are  in  the  same  case,  from  the  top  of  which 
hangs  the  suit  of  clothes  worn  by  him  upon  the  occa 
sion  of  the  resignation  of  his  commission  as  Com- 
mander-in-Chief  at  Annapolis,  in  1783.  A  hall-lan 
tern,  and  several  articles  from  Mount  Vernon,  a  "  trav 
elling  secretary,"  Washington's  sword  and  cane,  and  a 
surveyor's  compass,  presented  by  him  to  Captain  Sam 
uel  Duvall,  the  surveyor  of  Frederick  County,  Md., 
are  in  the  same  case,  as  are  also  a  number  of  articles 
taken  from  Arlington  House,  and  belonging  formerly 
to  the  Washington  family. 

A  coat  worn  by  Andrew  Jackson  at  the  battle  of 
New  Orleans,  and  the  war-saddle  of  the  Baron  De 
Kalb,  a  bayonet  used  by  one  of  Braddock's  soldiers, 
and  found  on  the  fatal  field  upon  which  that  com 
mander  met  his  death- wound,  together  with  the  panels 
from  the  State-coach  of  President  Washington,  com 
plete  the  collection. 

The  original  draft  of 

THE  DECLAKATION  OF  INDEPENDENCE, 

with  the  signatures  of  the  Continental  Congress  at 
tached,  is  framed  and  placed  near  the  Washington 


348  THE    SIGHTS    AND    SECRETS 

case.  It  is  old  and  yellow,  and  the  ink  is  fading  from 
the  paper.  Looking  at  it,  you  can  hardly  realize  that 
this  was  indeed  the  first  bold  proclamation  of  those 
great  principles  which  changed  the  destiny  of  the 
world.  Near  it  hangs 

WASHINGTON'S  COMMISSION 

as  Commander-in-Chief  of  the  American  Army,  bear 
ing  the  bold,  massive  signature  of  John  Hancock, 
President  of  the  Continental  Congress. 

ABRAHAM   LINCOLN'S    MODEL. 

In  the  same  case  is  a  plain  model,  roughly  exe 
cuted,  representing  the  framework  of  the  hull  of  a 
Western  steamboat.  Beneath  the  keel  is  a  false  bot 
tom,  provided  with  bellows  and  air-bags.  The  ticket 
upon  it  bears  this  memorandum :  "  Model  for  Sinking 
and  raising  boats  by  bellows  below.  A.  LINCOLN.  May 
30,  1849." 

By  means  of  this  arrangement,  Mr.  Lincoln  hoped 
to  solve  the  difficulty  of  passing  boats  over  sand-bars 
in  the  Western  rivers.  The  success  of  his  scheme 
would  have  made  him  independently  wealthy ;  but  it 
failed,  and,  twelve  years  later,  he  became  President  of 
the  United  States.  During  the  interval,  however,  the 
model  lay  forgotten  in  the  Patent  Office ;  but,  after 
his  inauguration,  Mr.  Lincoln  got  one  of  the  employ 
ees  to  find  it  for  him.  After  his  death,  it  was  placed 
in  the  Washington  case. 

The  opposite  case  contains  another  memento  of 


OP   THE   NATIONAL   CAPITAL.  349 

him — the  nat  worn  by  him  on  the  night  of  his  assas 
sination. 

Passing  by  a  couple  of  cases  filled  with  machinery 
for  making  shoes,  we  see  a  number  of  handsome  silk 
robes,  and  Japanese  articles  of  various  kinds,  present 
ed  to  Presidents  Buchanan  and  Lincoln  by  the  Tycoon 
of  Japan. 

The  remainder  of  the  hall  is  devoted  to  models  of 
machines  for  making  leather  harness  and  trunks,  mod 
els  of  gas  and  kerosene  oil  apparatuses,  liquor  distil 
leries,  machines  for  making  confectionery,  and  for  try 
ing  out  lard  and  fat.  Also  methods  of  curing  fish 
and  meat,  and  embalming  the  dead.  A  great  medley. 
A  splendid  model  of  a  steel  revolving  tower,  for  har 
bor  defence,  stands  near  the  door,  and  is  one  of  the 
most  conspicuous  ornaments  of  the  room. 

THE    OTHER   HALLS 

are  devoted  exclusively  to  models  of  patented  ma 
chinery,  and  other  inventions.  The  cases  above  and 
below  are  well  filled  ;  models  of  bridges  span  the 
spaces  between  the  upper  cases,  and  those  of  the  larger 
machines  are  laid  on  the  floor  of  the  hall.  Here  is 
every  thing  the  mind  can  think  of.  Models  of  im 
proved  arms,  clocks,  telegraphs,  burglar  and  fire  alarms, 
musical  instruments,  light-houses,  street  cars,  lamps, 
stoves,  ranges,  furnaces,  peat  and  fuel  machines,  brick 
and  tile  machines,  sewing  machines,  power  looms, 
paper-making  machinery,  knitting  machines,  machines 
for  making  cloth,  hats,  spool-cotton,  for  working  up 
hemp,  harbor  cleaners,  patent  hooks-and-eyes,  buttons, 


350  THE   SIGHTS    AND   SECRETS 

umbrella  and  cane  handles,  fluting  machines,  trusses, 
medical  instruments  of  gutta  percha,  corsets,  ambu 
lances  and  other  military  establishments ;  arrange 
ments  for  excluding  the  dust  and  smoke  from  railroad 
cars,  railroad  and  steamboat  machinery,  agricultural 
and  domestic  machinery  of  all  kinds,  and  hundreds 
of  other  inventions,  line  both  sides  of  the  three  im 
mense  halls.  One  might  spend  a  year  in  examining 
them,  and  learn  something  new  every  day.  For  every 
article  one  can  think  of,  there  are  at  least  half  a  dozen 
models,  and  there  are  manv  inventions  to  be  seen  of 

tf 

which  nine  people  out  of  ten  have  never  dreamed 
before.  The  number  increases  every  year.  As  the 
country  grows  greater,  new  wants  are  felt.  They  are 
sure  to  be  supplied,  and  the  model-room  of  the  Patent 
Office  keeps  a  faithful  record  of  the  history  of  our 
civilization. 


OF   THE   NATIONAL   CAPITAL.  351 


XIX. 

THE   BUREAU    OF    AGRICULTURE. 

THE  Bureau  of  Agriculture  was  formerly  a  branch 
of  the  Patent  Office,  but  is  now  separate  and  distinct 
from  it.  It  is  located  in  an  elegant  building  near  the 
Smithsonian  Institution,  and  is  in  charge  of  the  Com 
missioner  of  Agriculture.  We  take  the  following 
description  of  it  from  a  Washington  letter  recently 
published. 

THE    NEW   BUEEAU. 

"  The  old  Agricultural  Department,  tucked  away 
as  it  was  in  the  vaulted  cellars  of  the  Patent  Office, 
had  a  life,  which,  to  the  public,  was  much  like  the 
white  sprouts  of  the  potatoes  scattered  in  some  of  its 
underground  storerooms.  The  new  Department  is 
quite  a  different^"  institution,  and  has  a  vigorous 
growth  in  the  upper  air.  The  grounds  and  the 
building  will  soon  be  among  the  most  attractive 
places  to  visit  in  the  Capital.  In  many  respects  they 
are  so  now. 

"  The  new  building  stands  upon  a  portion  of  the 
Smithsonian  reservation.  The  grounds  about  it  com 
prise  about  twenty  acres,  and  have  been  laid  out  with 
much  taste.  The  building  is  of  pressed  brick,  is  four 
stories  high,  and  is  surmounted  with  a  French  roo£ 


352  THE   SIGHTS   AND    SECRETS 

It  is  one  hundred  and  sixty-six  feet,  by  sixty.  The 
basement  is  well  lighted,  and  contains,  besides  fur 
nace  and  stove  rooms,  a  laboratory  and  folding  rooms. 
Upon  the  first  floors  are  the  offices,  the  library,  and 
a  second  laboratory  for  the  lighter  work.  The  rooms 
of  the  Commissioner,  three  in  number,  are  finished 
with  the  patent  wood-paper,  lately  coming  into  use. 
The  paper  was  cut  for  the  purpose  from  the  most 
beautiful  woods  the  country  affords,  and  the  panels, 
inlaid  with  rare  varieties,  are  by  far  the  richest,  and 
more  beautiful  than  any  panel-work  in  the  Capitol. 

"  The  halls  are  laid  with  imported  tiles,  and  the 
walls  and  ceilings  are  tastefully  preserved.  Upon  the 
second  floor  is  the  main  hall,  fitted  up  with  massive 
walnut  cases,  made  air-tight,  for  the  specimens  which 
compose  the  museum.  This  will  soon  be  the  most 
complete,  interesting,  and  valuable  collection  pertain 
ing  to  agriculture  to  be  found  anywhere.  Visitors 
will  remember  the  great  California  plank,  which  stood 
in  one  of  the  underground  halls  of  the  Patent  Office, 
and  was  partially  discernible  on  a  bright  day.  It  has 
been  manufactured  into  a  large  and*elegant  table,  and 
stands  in  the  museum.  It  is  seven  feet  by  twelve, 
and  looks  like  a  billiard  table  with  the  cloth  and 
outer  guard  removed,  and  then  highly  polished.  The 
legs  and  frame  are  made  of  a  fine  species  of  cedar, 
found  in  Florida.  The  top  of  the  table,  composed  of 
this  single  plank,  is  without  a  knot  or  seam,  and  looks 
as  rich  as  mahogany.  Through  communications  with 
our  consuls  in  all  parts  of  the  world,  official  arrange 
ments  have  been  entered  into,  to  send  appropriate 


OF   THE   NATIONAL    CAPITAL.  353 

specimens  to  this  museum.     Many  are  now  on  the 
way  to  this  country. 

"  On  this  same  floor  are  rooms  in  which  work  con 
nected  with  preparing  specimens  is  done,  and  also  the 
Statistical  Bureau  of  the  Department,  under  the  charge 
of  Mr.  E.  W.  Dodge.  This  Bureau  has  regular  cor 
respondents  in  every  school  district  of  the  country, 
and  the  whole  subject  of  receiving  and  recording  the 
conditions  of  the  various  crops  is  now  so  perfect 
under  the  methods  pursued  by  Mr.  Dodge,  that  the 
monthly  reports  are  in  great  demand  in  commercial 
circles,  as  affording  the  best  attainable  data  from 
which  to  prejudge  the  character  of  our  harvests. 
The  seed  rooms  are  fitted  up  in  the  most  convenient 
manner  for  sorting,  packing,  and  mailing  the  various 
kinds.  Hereafter,  nothing  is  to  be  purchased  by  con 
tract  for  this  branch  of  the  department.  The  varieties 
used,  will  be  selected  with  care  from  the  catalogues 
of  the  best. foreign  and  domestic  dealers,  and,  here 
after,  nothing  will  be  sent  out  to  the  country  unless 
it  is  really  valuable.  Heretofore,  transactions  in  this 
branch  have  brought  a  good  deal  of  ridicule  upon 
those  who  were  responsible  for  the  varieties  furnished. 
Some  of  the  stories  were  exaggerations,  though  much 
of  the  severe  criticism  evoked  was  merited.  A  peck 
of  sunflower  seeds,  properly  distributed  in  packages, 
with  French  names,  as  imported  and  rare,  would  go 
far  toward  shaking  the  public  faith ;  and  a  few  papers 
of  sorghum  seed,  sent  out  in  response  to  requests  for 
rare  house-plants,  would  naturally  create  a  suspicion 
of  carelessness. 

23 


354  THE   SIGHTS   AND   SECRETS 

"  But,  under  the  new  regim6,  these  mistakes  will 
not  occur.  Contractors  will  not  in  future  hare  an 
opportunity  of  mowing  prairie  flowers  by  the  acre, 
threshing  out  the  seeds,  and  selling  them  here  under 
all  the  Latin  names  known  to  botany. 

"  The  fourth  floor,  which  is  immediately  tinder  the 
roof,  extends  over  the  whole  building,  and  resembles 
in  all  respects  a  great  grain  warehouse.  An  elevating 
platform  connects  it  with  the  basement,  and  gives  an 
easy  method  of  raising  the  supplies  of  seed-grain, 
which  are  kept  in  this  thoroughly  dry  and  well  ven 
tilated  space.  Invoices  have  been  received  of  seven 
thousand  bushels  of  choice  spring  wheat  from  Odessa, 
eight  hundred  bushels  of  oats  from  Scotland,  England, 
and  Odessa,  and  four  hundred  bushels  of  spring  barley 
from  Odessa.  This  will  soon  be  ready  for  distribution. 

"  A  very  large  variety  of  flower  seeds,  seeds  of 
shrubs  and  shade-trees,  and  such  varieties  of  foreign 
fruits  and  vegetables  as  it  is  thought  may  be  raised 
in  some  portions  of  the  Union,  will  be  on  hand  be 
fore  many  months.  The  communications  through  the 
State  Department  with  all  our  consuls,  have,  in  most 
cases,  been  answered,  and  active  measures  have  been 
taken  by  most  to  contribute  to  the  supplies  named. 
A  system  of  international  exchanges  has  also  been 
introduced,  which  promises  most  valuable  returns. 
Through  the  Smithsonian  Institute,  the  department 
has  been  put  in  communication  with  the  leading 
foreign  societies  interested  in  agriculture,  and  many 
of  them  are  now  exchanging  both  reports  and  speci 
mens  with  us.  In  manv  cases^  the  consols  of  foreign 


OF   THE   NATIONAL   CAPITAL.  355 

nations  are  cooperating  with  our  own.  An  English 
society  at  the  Cape  of  Good  Hope  is  now  making  a 
complete  collection  of  grasses,  fruit-trees,  and  flowers 
from  all  that  section.  A  like  collection  is  in  prepara 
tion  b}\the  British  Consul  at  Melbourne,  in  Australia. 
One  of  the  associates  of  Ross  Browne,  our  Minister 
to  China,  has  full  instructions  to  gather  from  different 
portions  of  China  whatever  he  regards  as  valuable. 
One  of  our  consuls  in  Japan  is  busily  engaged  upon 
a  collection,  as  are  also  consuls  in  South  America  and 
the  West  Indies. 

"  Particular  attention  is  being  given  to  the  fibrous 
grasses  which  are  widely  used  in  the  manufacture  of 
lasting  and  beautiful  cloths  in  China  and  some  other 
sections.  Specimens  of  such  grass,  and  portions  of 
the  material  made,  in  all  stages  of  manufacture,  are 
now  on  exhibition  in  the  museum.  A  tract  of  several 
acres  has  been  set  apart,  near  the  building,  which  is 
to  be  covered  with  such  useful  varieties  of  these 
fibrous  grasses  as  can  be  obtained. 

"  The  shade-trees  of  the  whole  country  will  be 
represented  in  these  grounds,  so  far  as  it  is  possible 
to  make  them  grow.  There  are  one  thousand  four 
hundred  native  varieties  already  planted,  and  it  is 
expected  that  nearly  as  many  more  will  be  added, 
besides  a  large  number  of  foreign  trees. 

"  The  display  of  flowers  in  these  grounds  will 
soon  exceed  any  thing  to  be  found  in  the  country. 
They  are  massed  together  in  sections  according  to 
the  season  in  which  they  are  most  brilliant,  either  in 
leaves  or  flowers. 


356  THE    SIGHTS    AND    SECRETS 

"  In  short,  under  the  new  order  of  things  brought 
about  by  Commissioner  Capron,  the  Agricultural  De 
partment  has  changed  from  one  which  excited  a  gen 
eral  smile  when  mentioned,  to  one  which  is  not  only 
a  credit  to  the  Government,  but  of  vast  importance 
to  .its  material  interests. 

•  "  Not  the  least  satisfactory  part  of  it  all  is,  that 
it  will  be  carried  on  at  small  expense.  The  system 
of  exchanges,  and  making  collections  through  the 
consular  service,  brings  nearly  every  thing  that  is 
needed  at  very  little  cost.  The  material  sent  out  in 
return,  though  of  the  best  the  country  affords,  re 
quires  only  a  small  outlay  of  money. 

"  There  is  no  deficiency  of  any  moment  in  the 
appropriation  for  the  various  branches,  although  the 
opposite  opinion  is  quite  general.  Of  the  one  hun 
dred  thousand  dollars  appropriated  for  the  new  build 
ing,  two  hundred  dollars  remained  unexpended  when 
it  was  completed.  In  return,  the  Government  has  a 
beautiful  and  substantial  structure,  which  is  an  orna 
ment  to  the  grounds,  and  admirably  adapted  to  the 
desired  uses,  and  at  a  cost  of  only  twehty-two  cents 
a  cubic  foot  of  space,  where  buildings  in  the  same 
style  in  various  portions  of  the  country  have  cost 
from  fifty-one  to  fifty-five  cents  per  cubic  foot," 


OP  THE  NATIONAL  CAPITAL.          357 


XX. 

THE   POST-OFFICE    DEPARTMENT. 

THE  postal  service  of  the  country  is  the  oldest 
branch  of  the  Government.  Our  forefathers  were 
deeply  impressed  with  the  importance  of  providing 
prompt  and  reliable  means  of  communication  between 
the  various  parts  of  the  country,  and  as  early  as  the 
year  1792,  a  proposition  was  introduced  into  the 
Assembly  of  Virginia,  to  establish  the  office  of  "  Post 
master  General  of  Virginia  and  other  parts  of  Amer 
ica."  The  proposition  became  a  law,  but  was  never 
carried  into  effect.  In  1710,  during  the  reign  of  Queen 
Anne,  the  British  Parliament  established  a  General 
Post-Office  for  all  Her  Majesty's  dominons.  By  this 
act,  the  Postmaster-General  was  permitted  to  have 
"  one  chief  letter  office  in  New  York,  and  other  chief 
letter  offices  at  some  convenient  place  or  places  in  each 
of  Her  Majesty's  provinces  or  Colonies  in  America." 
When  the  Colonies  threw  off  their  allegiance  to  the 
Crown,  especial  care  was  given  to  preserving  the 
postal  facilities  of  the  country.  When  the  present 
Constitution  was  adopted,  the  right  was  secured  to 
Congress  "  to  establish  post  offices  and  post  roads." 
In  1789.  Congress  established  the  office  of  Postmaster- 
General,  and  denned  his  duties.  Other  laws  have 
since  been  passed,  regulating  the  increased  powers 


358  THE    SIGHTS    AND    SECRETS 

and  duties  of  the  Department,  which  is  now,  next  to 

the  Treasury,  the  most  extensive  in  the  country. 

/ 

THE    POSTMASTER-GENERAL 

is  a  member  of  the  President's  Cabinet,  and  is  in 
charge  of  all  the  postal  affairs  of  the  United  States. 
The  business  of  the  various  branches  of  the  Depart 
ment  is  conducted  in  his  name  and  by  his  authority. 
He  has  a  general  supervision  of  the  whole  Depart 
ment,  and  issues  all  orders  concerning  the  service 
rendered  the  Government  through  his  subordinates. 

The  first  Postmaster-General  was  Samuel  Osgood, 
of  Massachusetts.  His  successors  have  been  Timothy 
Pickering,  of  Massachusetts ;  Joseph  Habershaw,  of 
Georgia ;  Gideon  Granger,  of  Connecticut ;  Return  J. 
Meigs,  of  Ohio ;  John  McLean,  of  Ohio ;  William  T. 
Barry,  of  Kentucky  ;  *  Amos  Kendall,  of  Kentucky ; 
John  M.  Niles.  of  Connecticut ;  Francis  Granger,  of 
New  York  ;  Charles  A.  Wickliffe,  of  Kentucky ;  Cave 
Johnson,  of  Tennessee ;  Jacob  Collamer,  of  Vermont ; 
Nathan  K.  Hall,  of  New  York ;  Samuel  D.  Hubbard, 
of  Connecticut;  James  Campbell,  of  Pennsylvania; 
Aaron  V.  Brown,  of  Tennessee ;  Joseph  Holt,  of 
Kentucky ;  Montgomery  Blair,  of  Maryland ;  Wil 
liam  Dennison,  of  Ohio  ;  and  Alexander  W.  Randall, 
of  Wisconsin,  the  present  incumbent. 

The  subordinates  of  the  Postmaster-General  are, 

*  Mr.  Barry  was  appointed  by  General  Jackson  in  March,  1829. 
Previous  to  this,  the  Postmaster-General  was  looked  upon  as  the  head 
of  a  Bureau  ;  but  President  Jackson  invited  Mr.  Barry  to  a  seat  in  his 
Cabinet,  since  which  time  the  Postmaster-General  has  continued  to  sit 
in  the  Cabinet. 


Of   THE   NATIONAL    CAPITAL.  359 

three  Assistant  Postmaster-Generals,  and  the  Chiefs 
of  the  Appointment,  Contract,  Finance,  and  Inspec 
tion  offices.  The  following  description  of  the  organ 
ization  of  the  Department  is  taken  from  Lanman'a 
Dictionary  of  Congress. 

THE   APPOINTMENT   OFFICE 

is  in  charge  of  the  First  Assistant  Postmaster-Gen 
eral.  "  To  this  office  are  assigned  all  questions  which 
relate  to  the  establishment  and  discontinuance  of  post- 
offices,  changes  of  sites  and  names,  appointment  and 
removal  of  postmasters,  and  route  and  local  agents, 
as,  also,  the  giving  of  instructions  to  postmasters. 
Postmasters  are  furnished  with  marking  and  rating 
stamps  and  letter  balances  by  this  Bureau,  which  is 
charged  also  with  providing  blanks  and  stationery 
for  the  use  of  the  Department,  and  with  the  super 
intendence  of  the  several  agencies  established  for  sup 
plying  postmasters  with  blanks.  To  this  Bureau  is 
likewise  assigned  the  supervision  of  the  ocean  mail 
steamship  lines,  and  of  the  foreign  and  international 
postal  arrangements." 

THE    CONTRACT    OFFICE 

is  in  charge  of  the  Second  Assistant  Postmaster-Gen 
eral.  "  To  this  office  is  assigned  the  business  of  arrang 
ing  the  mail  service  of  the  United  States,  and  placing 
the  same  under  contract,  embracing  all  correspondence 
and  proceedings  respecting  the  frequency  of  trips,  mode 
of  conveyance,  and  times  of  departures  and  arrivals 
on  all  the  routes ;  the  course  of  the  mail  between  the 


360  THE    SIGHTS    AND    SECRETS 

different  sections  of  the  country,  the  points  of  mail 
distribution,  and  the  regulations  for  the  government 
of  the  domestic  mail  service  of  the  United  States.  It 
prepares  the  advertisements  for  mail  proposals,  receives 
the  bids,  and  takes  charge  of  the  annual  and  occasional 
mail  lettings,  and  the  adjustment  and  execution  of  the 
contracts.  All  applications  for  the  establishment  or 
alteration  of  mail  arrangements,  and  the  appointment 
of  mail  messengers,  should  be  sent  to  this  office.  All 
claims  should  be  submitted  to  it  for  transportation 
service  not  under  contract,  as  the  recognition  of  said 
service  is  first  to  be  obtained  through  the  Contract 
Office  as  a  necessary  authority  for  the  proper  credits 
at  the  Auditor's  office.  From  this  office  all  postmas 
ters  at  the  ends  of  routes  receive  the  statement  of  mail 
arrangements  prescribed  for  the  respective  routes.  It 
reports  weekly  to  the  Auditor  all  contracts  executed, 
and  all  orders  affecting  accounts  for  mail  transporta 
tion  ;  prepares  the  statistical  exhibits  of  the  mail  ser 
vice,  and  the  reports  of  the  mail  lettings,  giving  a 
statement  of  each  bid  ;  also,  of  the  contracts  made, 
the  new  service  originated,  the  curtailments  ordered, 
and  the  additional  allowances  granted  within  the 
year." 

THE   FINANCE   OFFICE 

is  in  charge  of  the  Third  Assistant  Postmaster-Gen 
eral.  "  To  this  office  is  assigned  the  supervision  and 
management  of  the  financial  business  of  the  Depart 
ment,  not  devolved  by  law  upon  the  Auditor,  embrac 
ing  accounts  with  the  draft  offices  and  other  deposi- 


O*   THE   NATIONAL   CAPITAL.  361 

tories  of  the  Department,  the  issuing  of  warrants  and 
drafts  in  payment  of  balances,  reported  by  the  Auditor 
to  be  due  to  mail  contractors  and  other  persons,  the 
supervision  of  the  accounts  of  offices  under  orders  tc 
deposit  their  quarterly  balances  at  designated  points, 
and  the  superintendence  of  the  rendition  by  postmas 
ters  of  their  quarterly  returns  of  postages.  It  has 
charge  of  the  dead-letter  office,  of  the  issuing  of  post 
age  stamps  and  stamped  envelopes  for  the  prepayment 
of  postage,  and  of  the  accounts  connected  therewith. 

"  To  the  Third  Assistant  Postmaster-General  all 
postmasters  should  direct  their  quarterly  returns  of 
postage ;  those  at  draft  offices  their  letters  reporting 
quarterly  the  net  proceeds  of  their  offices ;  and  those 
at  depositing  offices  their  certificates  of  deposit ;  to 
him  should  also  be  directed  the  weekly  and  monthly 
returns  of  the  depositories  of  the  Department,  as  well 
as  applications  and  receipts  for  postage  stamps  and 
stamped  envelopes,  and  for  dead  letters." 

THE   INSPECTION    OFFICE 

is  in  charge  of  a  Chief  Clerk.  "To  this  office  is 
assigned  the  duty  of  receiving  and  examining  the 
registers  of  the  arrival  and  departures  of  the  mails, 
certificates  of  the  service  of  route  agents,  and  reports 
of  mail  failures ;  noting  the  delinquencies  of  con 
tractors,  and  preparing  cases  thereon  for  the  action 
of  the  Postmaster-General ;  furnishing  blanks  for  mail 
registers  and  reports  of  mail  failures ;  providing  and 
sending  out  mail  bags  and  mail  locks  and  keys,  and 
doing  all  other  things  which  may  be  necessary  to 


362  THE    SIGHTS    AND    SECRETS 

secure  a  faithful  and  exact  performance  of  all  mail 
contracts. 

"  All  cases  of  mail  depredation,  of  violations  of 
law  by  private  expresses,  or  by  the  forging  and  illegal 
•use  of  postage  stamps,  are  under  the  supervision  of 
this  office,  and  should  be  reported  to  it. 

"  All  communications  respecting  lost  money-letters, 
mail  depredations,  or  other  violations  of  law,  or  mail 
locks  and  keys,  should  be  directed  *  Chief  Clerk,  Post 
Office  Department.' 

"  All  registers  of  the  arrivals  and  departures  of 
the  mails,  certificates  of  the  service  of  route  agents, 
reports  of  mail  failures,  applications  for  blank  registers, 
and  all  complaints  against  contractors  for  irregular  or 
imperfect  service,  should  be  directed  '  Inspection  Office, 
Post  Office  Department.' 

THE   DEAD-LETTER    OFFICE 

is  one  of  the  most  interesting  branches  of  the  Depart 
ment.  To  this  office  are  sent  all  letters  held  for  post 
age,  or  unclaimed  by  the  parties  to  whom  they  are 
addressed.  The  following  interesting  summary  of  the 
work  done  by  it  during  the  past  year,  is  condensed 
from  the  animal  report  of  the  Postmaster  General : 

"The  whole  number  of  dead  letters  of  all  classes 
received  during  the  year  which  ended  30th  June  last, 
by  actual  count,  was  4,162,144,  showing  a  decrease  of 
144,364.  letters  from  the  number  estimated  to  have 
been  received  during  the  previous  year.  Of  these  let 
ters,  3,995,066  were  domestic  letters;  167,078  were 
foreign,  and  were  returned  unopened  to  countries 


OP  THE  NATIONAL  CAPITAL.  363 

where  they  originated.  The  domestic  letters  received 
may  be  stated  as  follows :  Ordinary  dead  letters, 
3,029,461  ;  drop  and  hotel  letters,  522,677  ;  unmail 
able,  363,898 ;  fictitious  addresses,  9,190 ;  registered 
letters,  3,282  ;  returned  from  foreign  countries,  66,558. 
In  the  examination  of  domestic  dead  letters  for  dispo 
sition,  1,736,867  were  found  to  be  either  not  suscepti 
ble  of  being  returned  or  of  no  importance,  circulars, 
<fec.,  and  were  destroyed;  about  333,000  more  were 
destroyed  after  an  effort  to  return  them — making  about 
51  per  cent,  destroyed.  The  remainder  were  classified 
and  returned  to  the  owners  as  far  as  practicable.  The 
whole  number  sent  from  the  office  was  2,258,199,  of 
which  about  84  per  cent,  were  delivered  to  owners, 
and  16  percent,  were  returned  to  the  Department ; 
18,340  letters  contained  $95,169  52,  in  sums  of  $1  and 
upward,  of  which  16,061  letters,  containing  $86,638  66, 
were  delivered  to  owners,  and  2,124,  containing  $7,- 
86236,  were  filed  or  held  for  disposition;  14,082  con 
tained  $3,436  08  in  sums  of  less  than  $1,  of  which 
12,513,  containing  $3,120  70,  were  delivered  to  owners; 
17,750  contained  drafts,  deeds,  and  other  papers  of 
value,  representing  the  value  of  $3,609,271  80,  of  these 
16,809  were  restored  to  the  owners,  and  821  were  re 
turned  and  filed  ;  13,964  contained  books,  jewelry,  and 
other  articles  of  property,  of  the  estimated  value  of 
$8,500;  of  these  11,489  were  forwarded  for  delivery, 
and  9,911  were  delivered  to  their  owners;  125,221 
contained  photographs,  postage  stamps,  and  articles  of 
small  value,  of  which  114,666  were  delivered  to  own 
ers  :  2,068,842  without  iuclosures.  Thus,  of  the  ordi- 


364  THE    SIGHTS    AND    SECRETS 

nary  dead  letters  forwarded  from  this  office,  about  84 
per  cent,  were  delivered,  and  of  the  valuable  dead  let 
ters  (classed  as  money  and  minor)  about  89  per  cent, 
were  delivered.  The  decrease  of  money  letters  re 
ceived  (about  3,000)  is  probably  owing  to  the  growing 
use  of  money  orders  for  the  transmission  of  small  sums. 
Prominent  among  the  causes  of  the  non-delivery  of  let 
ters  is  tbe  unmailable  character  of  many  of  them,  as 
certained  during  the  past  year  to  be  363,898  lettei-s, 
showing  a  decrease  of  79,888  the  previous  year. 
Of  these  290,448  were  detained  for  non-payment  of 
postage,  58,387  returned  for  misdirection  or  want  of 
proper  address,  13,470  were  addressed  to  places  for 
which  no  mail  service  had  been  established,  and  1,593 
had  no  address  whatever.  There  were  also  returned 
23,425  letters  addressed  to  persons  stopping  tempora 
rily  at  hotels,  departures  or  non-arrivals  preventing 
delivery,  and  9,190  letters  found  to  be  addressed  to 
fictitious  names.  These  are  mostly  cases  where  the 
causes  of  the  non-delivery  appear  from  the  letters 
themselves,  and  no  effort  was  made  to  deliver  them. 
The  number  of  dead  letters  returned  during,  the  year 
to  foreign  countries  was  184,183,  and  the  number  re 
ceived  from  foreign  countries  was  66,558.  It  further 
appears  that  out  of  4,666,673  letters  mailed  to  the 
United  States  through  British,  French,  and  German 
mails,  126,866 — or  2  93-100  per  cent. — were  returned 
to  Europe  as  dead  letters ;  and  out  of  5,401 ,986  letters 
forwarded  from  this  country  through  those  mails,  30,- 
970 — or  57  per  cent. — were  returned  as  dead  letters, 
showing  an  extraordinary  discrepancy  between  the 


OF   THE   NATIONAL    CAPITAL.  365 

proportion  of  dead  letters  received  from  Europe  and 
the  proportion  returned  from  the  United  States  to 
European  countries.  This  difference  is  doubtless  largely 
owing  to  causes  existing  in  this  country  which  do  not 
operate  in  the  saiue  proportion  in  Europe.  The  geo 
graphical  extent  of  the  United  States  and  Territories, 
as  yet  largely  unsettled,  the  constant  arrival  of  emi 
grants  in  search  of  new  homes  in  remote  regions,  and 
the  continual  changing  of  places  of  abode  in  a  sparsely 
settled  country,  all  operate  to  increase  the  difficulty  in 
the  delivery  of  foreign  letters.  There  were  received  at 
this  office  during  the  fiscal  year,  5,459  applications  for 
letters,  of  which  1,151  were  answered  satisfactorily, 
the  letters  applied  for  being  found.  About  one-third 
of  these  applications  were  for  ordinary  letters  without 
inclosures,  no  record  of  them  being  kept,  and  search 
for  them  being  useless.  The  amount  of  money  taken 
from  all  dead  letters  undelivered  since  last  report,  and 
deposited  in  the  United  States  Treasury,  was  $27,- 
967  71.  The  amount  realized  from  sales  of  waste  paper 
and  deposited,  was  $1,280  42. 

u  Statement  of  "letters  received  and  disposed  of 
during  the  fiscal  year  ending  June  30, 1868:  Domestic 
letters  received,  3,029,461 ;  domestic  drop-letters  re 
ceived,  499,252  ;  unmailable  letters  received,  363,898  ; 
hotel  letters  received,  23,425;  fictitious  letters  received, 
9,190 ;  registered  letters  received,  3,282  ;  domestic  let 
ters  returned  from  foreign  counties,  66,558.  Total 
domestic  letters  received,  3,995,066 ;  foreign  letters 
received,  167,078.  Whole  number  of  letters  received, 
4,162,144,  Domestic  letters  for  disposition,  3,995,066. 


366  THE    SIGHTS    AND    SECRETS 

Letters  sent  out  by  return  letter  division,  2,210,620; 
letters  sen"  out  by  money  letter  division,  18,340;  let 
ters  sent  out  by  minor  letter  division,  17,750;  letters 
sent  out  by  property  letter  division,  11,489.  Number 
of  original  letters  destroyed,  1,737,867  ;  number  of  re. 
turn  letters  destroyed,  333,286 — whole  number  de 
stroyed,  2,070,153.  Of  domestic  letters  for  disposi 
tion  51  percent,  destroyed.  Whole  number  of  letters 
sent  out,  2,258.199.  Return  letters  received  and  de 
stroyed,  333,286  ;  articles  of  small  value,  photographs, 
<fec.,  filed,  12,400;  money  letters  filed,  2.124;  minor 
letters  filed,  821 ;  property  letters  filed,  2,578.  Total 
delivered  to  owners,  1,906,990.  Of  domestic  letters 
for  disposition  56  per  cent,  were  sent  out.  Of  letters 
sent  out  84  per  cent,  are  delivered  ;  of  letters  sent  out 
16  per  cent,  are  returned. 

Request  Letters. — Number  returned  to  writers  by 
postmasters,  as  reported  by  410  offices,  60,690 ;  num 
ber  returned  from  dead-letter  office,  12,803.  Total, 
73,493. 

Return  Letter  Division. — Letters  returned  to  writ 
ers,  2,2 1 0,620  ;  "  return  "  letters  received  and  destroyed, 
333,286.  Total  delivered  to  writers,  1,877,334.  Money 
letters  containing  sums  less  than  $1,  14,082,  inclosing 
$3,436  68  ;  number  delivered  to  writers,  12,513,  in 
closing  $3,1*20  70 ;  number  returned  and  filed,  1,569, 
inclosing  $315  98  ;  letters  containing  articles  of  small 
value,  photographs,  <fec.,  sent  out,  125,221  ;  number 
returned  and  filed,  10,555 ;  number  delivered  to  writ 
ers,  114,668. 

Money  Letter  Division, — Received  for  disposition, 


OF  THE  NATIONAL  CAPITAL.          867 

17,589  letters,  containing  $86,263  02;  registered  for 
disposition,  751  letters,  containing  $8,933  50;  total 
received,  18,340  letters,  containing  $86,638  66 ;  filed 
and  held  for  disposition,  2,124  letters,  containing  $7,- 
862  36  ;  lost,  31  letters,  containing  $143  50;  outstand 
ing,  124  letters,  containing  $552.  Of  money  letters 
87  per  cent,  were  delivered  to  owners. 

Minor  Letter  Division. — Received  and  sent  out  17,- 
750  letters,  nominal  value  $3,609,271  80 ;  delivered 
to  owners  16,809  letters;  filed  and  for  disposition  821 
letters  ;  outstanding  120  letters.  Of  minor  letters  20 
per  cent,  were  delivered  to  owners. 

Property  Division. — Received  13,964  letters  and 
packages,  probable  value  $8,500  ;  letters  and  packages 
sent  out,  11,489  ;  letters  and  packages  delivered,  9,911 ; 
letters  and  packages  unclaimed,  1,578  ;  letters  and 
packages  filed  and  destroyed,  2,475 ;  number  of  pack 
ages  of  jewelry,  1,130;  miscellaneous  articles,  books, 
<fcc.,  5,439  ;  number  of  unmailable  letters  received  and 
disposed  of,  387,323  ;  held  "for  postage,  290,448;  mis 
directed,  58,H87;  no  mail  service,  13,473;  blank,  1,590; 
hotel,  23,425. 

Letters  sent  to  this  office  are  carefully  examined, 
and  if  they  are  of  value  to  the  writer,  are  returned  to 
him.  Letters  with  a  request  printed  or  written  on  the 
envelope,  to  return  to  the  writer  in  a  given  number 
of  days  if  not  called  for,  are  not  advertised,  but  are 
sent  to  the  Dead  Letter  Office,  and  immediately  re 
turned  to  the  writer, 


8C8  THE    SIGHTS    AND    SECRETS 


THE    POST-OFFICE    BUILDING 

covers  an  entire  block,  almost  directly  opposite  the 
Patent  Office,  and  is  bounded  by  E  and  F  Streets 
North,  and  Seventh  and  -Eighth  Streets  West.  It  is 
300  feet  long,  from  North  to  South,  and  204  feet  wide, 
from  East  to  West.  It  is  built  of  white  marble,  in  the 
Corinthian  style  of  architecture,  and  is  the  best  repre 
sentation  of  the  Italian  palatial  ever  erected  upon  this 
continent.  It  is  rectangular  in  form,  with  a  spacious 
interior  court- yard,  95  by  194  feet  in  size.  On  the 
Seventh  Street  side  there  is  a  vestibule,  which  consti 
tutes  the  grand  entrance  into  the  building.  The  ceil 
ing  is  composed  of  exquisitely  ornamented  marble 
panels,  supported  by  four  marble  columns ;  and  the 
walls,  niches,  and  floor,  are  of  marble,  the  floor  being 
richly  tesselated.  On  Eighth  Street  there  is  an  en 
trance  for  mail  wagons,  handsomely  ornamented.  The 
City  post-office  is  in  the  F.  Street  side  of  the  building, 
and  is  tastefully  arranged. 


OF   THE   NATIONAL    CAPITAL.  369 


XXI. 

OFFICIALS. 

THERE  are  nearly  sixty  thousand  public  offices  with 
in  the  gift  of  the  Government,  and  of  the  occupants  of 
these,  about  6,000  are  on  duty  in  Washington.  Nearly 
all  of  the  latter  are  strangers  to  the  city.  They  come 
from  all  parts  of  the  Union,  and  are  generally  appoint 
ed,  without  regard  to  merit,  for  the  purpose  of  reward 
ing  or  securing  political  services.  They  are  strangers 
to  the  city,  and  hold  their  appointments  by  so  frail  a 
tenure  that  they  never  become  fully  domesticated. 
They  are  in  Washington,  but  not  of  it. 

The  above  estimate  of  the  number  of  Government 
employees,  includes  every  individual  whose  name  is  on 
the  rolls,  who  is  on  duty  in  Washington,  from  the 
grade  of  Assistant-Secretary  of  a  Department  down  to 
the  watchmen  and  laborers  employed  in  the  various 
offices.  They  are  of  both  sexes,  all  ages  and  conditions, 
and  of  various  degrees  of  competency. 

AN    INSIDE  VIEW  OF   THE   DEPARTMENTS. 

At  the  beginning  of  each  new  administration, 
especially  when  its  political  character  is  changed,  there 
is  an  overhauling  of  the  civil  list  of  the  Government. 
Over  fifty  thousand  positions  of  various  kinds  are  to  be 
filled,  and  for  each  position  there  are  scores  of  appli- 
24 


870  THE   SIGHTS   AND    SECRETS 

cants.  The  claims  of  each  one  are  pressed  with  vigor 
by  Members  of  Congress,  or  influential  public  men 
from  the  various  States,  and  the  President  and  heads 
of  Departments  are  greatly  embarrassed  with  such  im 
portunities. 

It  is  astonishing  to  see  the  amount  of  ingenuity, 
energy,  and  patience  exerted  by  persons  to  secure  of 
fices  to  which  they  are  utterly  unsuited,  and  in  which 
they  can  earn  but  a  meagre  support.  The  same  quali 
ties  exhibited  in  any  other  pursuit  would  secure  inde 
pendence,  if  not  wealth,  but  thousands  every  year  prefer 
depending  upon  the  Government.  These  Government 
employees  are  made  up  of  all  sorts  of  people.  Poets, 
preachers,  lawyers,  doctors,  artists,  authors,  merchants, 
mechanics,  and  loafers  are  represented  in  the  various 
departments.  You  may  know  them  as  a  general  rule, 
by  their  affectation  of  superiority  to  the  townspeople, 
their  general  seedy  appearance,  and  their  imitations  of 
the  airs  and  style  of  "  the  first  men  in  the  Govern 
ment."  They  form  a  "colony"  distinct  in  themselves 
from  the  Washington ians  proper,  with  whom  they 
rarely  deign  to  associate  unless  they  are  invited  to 
partake  of  their  hospitality,  when  it  is  amazing  to  see 
how  quick  they  are  to  accept  the  invitations.  The 
majority  of  them  are  unmarried,  or  persons  whose 
families  are  at  their  own  homes.  Living  is  high  in 
Washington,  and  few  of  the  salaries  given  are  sufficient 
for  the  support  of  a  family. 

The  rush  for  office,  as  we  have  said,  is  immense. 
Mr.  Lincoln  had  an  especial  horror  of  office-seekers. 
"  As  the  day  of  kis  re-ipaugu ration  approached,  he  saicj 


OF   THE   NATIONAL    CAPITAL.  371 

to  Senator  Clark,  of  New  Hampshire,  '  Can't  yon 
and  others  start  a  public  sentiment  in  favor  of  making 
no  changes  except  for  good  and  sufficient  cause?  It 
seems  as  if  the  bare  thought  of  going  through  again, 
what  I  did  the  first  year  here,  would  crush  me.  *  *  * 
To  remove  a  man  is  very  easy,  but  when  I  go  to  fill  his 
place,  there  are  twenty  applicants,  and  of  these  I  must 
make  nineteen  enemies.' " 

The  business  of  the  Departments  commences  at 
nine  in  the  morning,  and  closes  at  three  in  the  after 
noon.  The  balance  of  the  twenty-four  hours  the  clerks 
are  at  liberty  to  employ  as  they  please.  Some  are 
men  of  family,  others  have  nothing  to  occupy  their 
time.  Some  spend  their  leisure  in  lounging  about  the 
city  or  the  hotels,  or  in  visiting  their  friends,  and  others 
are  employed  as  newspaper  correspondents  for  the 
journals  in  the  States.  Their  spare  moments  hang 
horribly  upon  them,  and  they  are  eager  for  any  means 
of  driving  off  the  "  blues,"  a  disease  peculiar  to  Wash 
ington. 

The  majority  of  them  live  at  private  boarding- 
houses,  or  in  private  families,  where  the  comforts  are 
more  mythical  than  real.  A  very  large  part  of  their 
pay  goes  for  board,  so  that  after  clothing  themselves 
they  have  very  little  money  left.  This,  however,  they 
spend  freely,  and  have  little  or  nothing  saved  at  the 
end  of  their  official  careers. 

Their  duties  are  very  monotonous,  consisting  of  the 
same  set  routine  every  day,  and  the  holidays  are  few 
and  very  far  between. 

The  appointments  in  the  Executive  Departments 


372  THE    SIGHTS    AND    SECRETS 

and  their  various  branches  are  nominally  made  by  the 
President,  but  in  reality  the  choice  is  made  by  the 
officers  immediately  in  charge  of  the  Departments, 
their  recommendations  being  usually  acted  upon  by 
the  President.  Changes  are  constantly  made,  and  the 
struggle  for  place  goes  on  from  year's  end  to  year's 
end.  As  appointments  are  not  made  upon  the  meiits 
of  the  applicants,  their  capacity  forms  no  ground  for 
retaining  them  in  office.  Each  one  holds  his  place,  it 
would  seem,  by  the  favor  of  the  head  of  his  bureau, 
and  as  a  means  of  retaining  that  place,  he  exerts  him 
self  to  secure  the  favor  of  that  head.  The  higher  officials 
take  good  care  that  it  shall  be  known  among  their 
subordinates  that  they  hold  their  official  lives  in  their 
hands.  Consequently,  there  is  a  feeling  of  uncertainty 
on  all  sides,  from  the  Secretary  down,  as  no  one  knows 
at  what  moment  he  may  lose  his  place.  Men  fawn 
upon  and  flatter  their  superiors  in  the  most  sickening 
manner.  They  exert  themselves,  not  to  discharge  their 
duties  well  and  faithfully,  but  to  please  their  superiors 
by  humoring  and  pandering  to  their  whims  and  caprices. 
Naturally  enough,  such  a  life  takes  all  the  manhood  out 
of  a  man,  and  transforms  him  into  an  object  of  contempt. 

SALAKEES. 

The  salaries  paid  by  the  Government  to  its  em 
ployees  are  small.  A  Secretary  at  the  head  of  a 
Department  receives  $8,000.  Assistant-Secretaries, 
$3,500.  The  Chief  Clerks  of  the  Departments  receive 
$2,200;  the  heads  of  the  Bureaus  from  $3,500  to  $2,- 
QOO ;  and  the  salaries  of  the  other  clerks  range  from 


OF   THE   NATIONAL    CAPITAL.  373 

$1,800  to  $600.  These  amounts  are  not  sufficient  tc 
enable  those  to  whom  they  are  paid  to  live  with  any 
degree  of  comfort,  and  many  of  the  employees  of  the 
Departments  are  unable,  even  by  the  most  rigid 
economy,  to  "  make  both  ends  meet." 

BLACK-MAILING. 

Small  as  these  salaries  are,  those  who  have  earned 
them  are  not  allowed  to  enjoy  them.  The  party  to 
which  they  belong  claims  a  share  in  the  "  Government 
plunder,"  and  clerks  must  pay  the  toll  demanded  of 
them  upon  pain  of  losing  their  places.  Whenever 
money  is  needed  for  political  purposes,  the  leaders  of 
the  party  in  power,  whether  Republican  or  Democratic, 
levy  an  assessment  upon  each  Federal  officeholder,  the 
sum  being  regulated  by  the  amount  of  his  salary.  The 
great  officers  of  the  Government  are  exempted  from 
this  tax,  which  falls  heavily  upon  the  humbler  mem 
bers  of  the  civil  service.  A  circular  is  sent  to  each 
individual,  informing  him  that  he  is  expected  to  con 
tribute  a  certain  sum,  which  is  named,  for  the  purpose 
of  paying  the  contingent  expenses  of  the  party.  He 
is  requested  to  send  the  amount  to  a  stated  place  within 
a  given  time.  No  order  could  be  more  peremptory 
than  this  politely  worded  request.  Woe  to  the  clerk 
who  dares  to  disregard  it !  It  matters  not  how  much, 
be  may  need  the*  amount,  which  is  always  heavy  for 
him ;  he  must  pay  it,  or  he  will  be  discharged,  and  some 
one  put  in  his  place  who  will  be  more  amenable  to 
party  discipline.  His  children  may  be  sick,  or  in 
want  of  comforts,  his  wife  may  need  the  money  for  the 


374  THE    SIGHTS   AND    SECRETS 

household  expenses,  but.  no  matter,  it  must  go  -o  the 
party.  True,  he  has  earned  it,  but  it  is  not  his  It  is 
she  party's,  and  if  his  wife  or  child  were  dy  ag  for 
want  of  the  comforts  that  money  would  bring  them, 
he  would  have  to  pay  it  to  the  bloodhounds  demand 
ing  it  of  him,  or  lose  his  place  under  the  Government. 
Of  course,  the  reason  that  would  be  assigned  for  his 
discharge  would  not  be  his  refusal  to  pay  this  money. 
Oh,  no !  the  political  black-mailers  understand  their 
work  better  than  this.  They  would  accuse  him  of  in- 
competency,  neglect  of  duty,  or  something  of  the  kind, 
or  the  Chief  of  his  bureau  would,  without  assigning 
any  reason,  politely  tell  him  that  his  services  were  no 
longer  required,  and  set  him  adrift.  And  not  once  a 
year  only  do  these  black-mailers  make  their  demands. 
The  poor  clerks  are  liable  to  them  at  any  moment, 
whenever  the  party  needs  money,  and  out  of  a  salary 
of  one  thousand  dollars,  may  be  forced  to  "give"  the 
party  one  hundred  dollars. 

The  worst  feature  of  all  is,  that  it  is  said  that  much 
of  the  money  thus  extorted  goes  into  the  pockets  of 
private  individuals.  It  is  well  known  that  all  of  it,  if 
really  used  by  the  party  demanding  it,  is  expended 
for  the  purpose  of  perpetuating  those  systems  of 
bribery  and  corruption  which  have  disgraced  our  land 
in  the  eyes  of  the  civilized  world. 

AEE    PUBLIC    OFFICES    FOE   SALE? 

You  hear  it  stated  on  all  sides  that  clerkships  and 
other  appointments  under  the  Government  may  be 
purchased,  either  for  so  much  money  paid  down  on  the 


OP   THE   NATIONAL   CAPITAL.  875 

Spot,  or  for  a  share  in  the  compensation  of  the  office 
Various  persons  are  charged  with  being  guilty  of  sell 
ing  these  offices,  and  names  that  ought  to  be  above 
suspicion  are  dragged  through  the  mire  in  connection 
with  such  charges.  How  much  is  truth  and  how  much 
:s  error,  it  is  hard  to  tell.  Charges  are  abundant,  but 
proofs  are  scarce.  All  such  stories  may  be  true,  or  all 
may  be  false  ;  but  it  is  certain  that  there  are  very 
many  persons  both  in  Washington  and  elsewhere  who 
profess  to  believe  them,  and  to  have  good  grounds  for 
such  belief.  Similar  charges  are  frequently  set  afloat 
by  the  newspaper  press.  A  Congressional  investiga 
tion  might  set  the  matter  at  rest. 

A   WARNING   TO    OFFICE-SEEKERS. 

To  the  thousands  of  persons  who  display  such 
eagerness  to  secure  appointments  under  the  Govern 
ment,  we  would  say,  u  Turn  your  attention  to  some 
honest  pursuit,  and  let  Government  clerkships  alone." 
To  nine  men  out  of  ten  such  offices  are  utterly  un 
profitable.  The  salaries  are  small,  the  tenure  by  which 
they  are  held  is  uncertain,  and  they  are  generally  more 
vexatious  than  profitable.  A  Government  clerk  has 
at  least  twenty  rivals  constantly  working  against  him, 
each  one  hoping  to  have  him  discharged  and  be  ap 
pointed  in  his  stead.  All  sorts  of  stories  are  told  to 
his  prejudice,  many  of  which  are  devoid  of  truth,  and 
he  is  haunted  with  a  fear  of  being  discharged,  which 
poisons  all  his  pleasures.  He  has  no  independence 
while  in  office,  no  true  manhood.  If  his  opinions 
differ  from  those  of  the  Chief  of  his  bureau  or  depart- 


376  THE    SIGHTS    AND    SECRETS 

mem,  he  dare  not  express  them,  for  his  chief  tolerates 
no  such  liberty  on  the  part  of  his  subordinates.  He 
must  openly  avow  his  implicit  faith  in  all  his  superiors, 
on  pain  of  dismissal,  and  must  cringe  and  fawn  upon 
them,  even  when  they  rob  him — in  the  name  of  their 
party — of  his  earnings.  And,  at  last,  at  the  end  of 
four  years,  if  not  sooner,  he  must  give  way  to  some 
new  man,  and  seek  some  other  mode  of  employment. 
His  clerkship  has,  by  this  time,  unfitted  him  for  busr 
ness  pursuits,  or  mechanical  labor.  It  has  engendered 
ideas  and  habits  which  are  so  many  obstacles  to  his 
success  in  other  employments.  To  young  men  of  am 
bition  a  Government  clerkship  of  any  kind  is  a  positive 
curse,  and  is  generally  the  ruination  of  a  promising 
career. 

GOING   HOME   TO    VOTE. 

During  political  struggles  in  the  States,  of  more 
than  usual  importance,  the  clerks  and  employees  in  the 
departments  are  expected  to  play  their  part  in  the 
States  to  which  they  belong.  This  they  can  only  do 
by  going  home  to  vote.  They  are  notified  that  all 
who  desire  to  avail  themselves  of  the  "  privilege,"  will 
be  allowed  a  sufficient  time  to  go  to  their  legal  homeg 
and  deposit  their  votes.  In  times  of  great  political 
contests  this  is  expected  of  them,  and  a  failure  on  their 
part  to  comply  with  this  expectation  is  sure  to  bring 
down  upon  them  the  wrath  of  the  leaders  of  their 
party,  which  wrath  is  fatal  to  their  official  existences. 
These  journeys  home  are  very  expensive  to  both  the 
clerk  and  the  country.  His  part  of  the  public  service 


OP   THE    NATIONAL    CAPITAL.  37? 

is  at  a  "  stand-still "  during  his  absence,  and  he  is  paid 
his  full  salary  for  work  he  does  not  perform.  In  thia 
the  country  loses.  His  loss  lies  in  the  heavy  expense 
to  which  his  journey  subjects  him,  and  for  which  he 
receives  no  compensation. 

PROPOSED    REFORMS    O    THE    CIVIL   SERVICE. 

Under  the  present  system  of  political  appointments, 
two-thirds  of  the  men  holding  office  under  the  Govern 
ment  are  incapable  of  discharging  their  official  duties. 
As  a  natural  consequence,  the  service  rendered  the  Gov 
ernment  is  such  as  would  not  be  tolerated  in  any  first- 
class  establishment.  The  country  resounds  with  com 
plaints  upon  this  subject,  and  it  is  a  wonder  that  our 
people  are  so  patient  in  submitting  to  the  evil.  A  re 
form  is  demanded — one  that  will  ensure  the  employ 
ment  of  none  but  competent  officials.  The  people  are 
taxed  heavily  to  pay  for  their  Government,  and  they 
have  the  right  to  demand  that  it  shall  be  administered 
at  least  intelligently. 

A  movement  in  that  direction  has  at  length  been 
set  on  foot,  and  the  Hon.  T.  A.  Jenckes,  of  Rhode 
Island,  has  introduced  a  bill  in  Congress,  the  merito 
rious  features  of  which  are  thus  explained  by  him  in 
a  recent  speech : 

"  We  ought  to  put  in  the  offices  by  which  the  Gov 
ernment  is  administered  the  best  men  fit  for  the  places, 
that  can  be  obtained  for  the  money  we  pay.  To  that 
abstract  proposition  all  agree.  But  how  shall  we  get 
at  these  men  ?  Not  by  continuing  the  present  system 


878  THE    SIGHTS    AND    SECRETS 

surely,  for  it  is  full  of  inherent  defects.  All  that  ia 
known  of  the  men  who  apply  for  office  by  the  heads 
of  departments  who  appoint  them  to  office  is  the  re 
commendations  they  bring.  These  are  often  false,  and 
the  result  is,  many  are  incompetent  to  perform  the 
duties  of  the  office  they  hold.  The  proposed  measure 
meets  this  difficulty.  It  does  not  undertake  to  break 
up  the  organization  by  which  the  Government  is  car 
ried  on  at  the  present  time,  by  dismissing  the  officers 
who  are  now  in  place  ;  it  does  not  intend  to  produce 
any  check  or  violence  in  the  administration  whatever. 
It  proposes  to  place  a  commission  of  competent  men  at 
the  doors  to  examine  into  the  fitness  of  the  person  who 
applies  for  one  of  these  minor  places.  Men  are  to  be 
selected  according  to  their  fitness  for  the  post  they  are 
to  occupy.  In  order  that  this  commission  may  not  be 
broken  down  by  political  cliques,  nor  overborne  by 
Members  of  Congress,  it  is  proposed  to  create  a  new 
department,  with  the  Vice  President  at  its  head ;  the 
Department  of  Civil  Service.  This  department  will 
extend  itself  according  to  the  need  of  its  services 
throughout  the  country;  and  it  will  conduct  the  exam 
ination,  and  test  the  qualities  of  candidates  for  office. 
If  this  system  shall  be  adopted  we  shall  have  the  near 
est  approach  to  an,  independent  administration  of  the 
affairs  of  the  country.  The  Vice-President  has  hitherto 
been  almost  a  useless  appendage  to  this  Government, 
with  light  duties  and  no  responsibilities.  By  this  mode 
he  will  occupy  an  important  position,  will  have  a  place 
in  the  Cabinet,  and  the  charge  of  a  large  number  of 
men.  If  called  upon  to  assume  the  duties  of  Presi 


OF  THE  NATIONAL  CAPITAL.          379 

dent,  he  will  have  the  advantage  of  knowing  the  men 
in  his  service,  and  the  position  at  the  head  of  this  de 
partment  is  one  which  it  is  eminently  proper  he  should 
fill.  Besides  the  Vice-President,  it  is  proposed  to  have 
four  commissioners,  and  with  these  five  gentlemen  shall 
rest  the  controlling  power.  These  commissioners  will 
have  the  authority  to  call  upon  men  of  learning  end 
high  character  in  different  parts  of  the  country,  to  aid 
them  in  conducting  the  exanrnations.  This  system 
has  been  found  practicable  and  is  now  in  operation  in 
England,  France,  and  Prussia.  Having  established  the 
measure  which  provides  that  all  persons  admitted  to 
office  shall  be  competent,  the  next  question  is,  who 
shall  be  admitted  ?  In  answer  to  that  the  speaker 
said,  he  would  give  the  largest  liberty;  he  would 
throw  the  doors  open  to  all.  Every  citizen  of  the 
United  States  of  the  requisite  age,  with  the  proper 
degree  of  health  and  character  to  stand  investigation, 
and  with  sufficient  learning  to  perform  the  duties  of 
the  office  which  he  seeks,  shall  be  a  candidate  for  ad 
mission.  A  blow  would  then  be  struck  at  the  root  of 
every  thing  which  could  be  called  patronage.  Patron 
age  is  a  plant  of  foreign  growth  in  our  republic,  inher 
ited  and  derived  from  alien  and  adverse  organizations. 
It  has  gained  a  foothold  here,  but  it  should  never  be 
allowed  to  remain  an  instant  after  it  can  be  safely  ex 
tirpated.  The  proposed  measure  would  tend  to  eman 
cipate  every  servant  of  the  republic  from  the  servitude 
of  office ;  every  man  who  received  a  commission  from 
the  United  States  would  know  that  he  received  it  from 
the  people ;  and  he  should  hold  it  as  long  as  he  served 


380 

the  people  well  and  efficiently.  The  measure  does  not 
propose  to  introduce  a  tenure  of  office ;  it  does  not 
propose  to  issue  commissions  for  life,  or  during  good 
behavior,  which  is  almost  equivalent  to  a  commission 
for  life.  An  officer  should  hold  his  commission  during 
efficiency  of  "service,  and  no  longer.  The  people  have 
a  right  to  demand  that  for  the  money  they  pay  they 
shall  have  the  best  ability  to  serve  which  that  money 
will  buy.  It  would  remove  another  badge  of  servi 
tude,  which  is,  that  a  man  may  be  disgraced  by  being 
removed  at  the  will  or  caprice  of  his  superior  without 
just  cause.  This  has  done  more  to  degrade  office  than 
any  other  thing  associated  with  it.  If  this  system  is 
adopted  the  subordinates  will  discover  and  bring  to 
notice  the  dereliction  of  duty  in  the  superiors,  and 
every  man  will  be  placed  on  trial.  By  this  bill  any 
one,  or  a  class  of  officers,  can  be  examined  when  so  re 
quested  by  the  heads  of  the  department;  and  idle, 
incompetent,  and  inefficient  men  will  be  weeded  out, 
and  their  places  supplied  by  those  who  have  better 
qualifications ;  so  that  in  the  course  of  time  we  shall 
have  men  in  the  public  service  who  regard  it  an  honor 
to  be  there,  and  an  honor  also  in  the  estimation  of 
others.  Under  the  present  system,  the  worst  men  seek 
the  public  offices ;  especially  is  this  the  case  in  New 
York,  and  the  Southern  and  some  of  the  Western 
cities.  The  element  of  honor  is  more  valuable  and 
more  binding  than  all  the  bonds  which  could  be  given. 
No  bonds  are  required  in  the  army  and  navy,  the  esprit 
du  corps  keeps  them  pure ;  the  same  spirit  of  honor 
should  be  infused  in  the  civil  service,  and  public  offi- 


OF   THE   NATIONAL    CAPITAL.  381 

cers  will  rise  in  the  esteem  of  the  nation.  The  neces 
sity  of  some  change  is  felt  more  and  more  every  hour 
More  than  one  hundred  millions  of  dollars  of  the 
whiskey-tax  alone  never  finds  its  way  into  the  Treasury 
for  want  of  competent  and  reliable  officers.  The  ele 
ment  of  honor  is  yet  alive  in  this  nation ;  nine  years 
ago  some  thought  the  spirit  of  bravery  had  died  out, 
but  we  have  since  found  out  it  was  not  so.  We  are 
now  threatened  with  great  danger  in  the  civil  service, 
as  the  life  of  the  nation  was  threatened  in  the  time  of 
war.  We  must  now  turn  out  the  thieves,  and  put  in 
faithful  and  honest  men.  Under  the  old  law,  the 
speaker  said  he  knew  a  case  in  which  a  certain  politi 
cian  had  the  appointment  of  the  warehousekeeper,  the 
assistant  assessor,  and  the  assistant  collector  in  a  cer 
tain  district ;  he  furnished  the  grain  for  the  distillery 
and  owned  the  whiskey  which  was  manufactured. 
The  amount  of  tax  collected  there  was  probably  small. 
The  proposed  bill  is  not  a  copy  of  the  systems  of  other 
nations.  It  is  not  the  home  English  service  system  ; 
it  is  precisely  what  the  civil  service  commissioners  of 
England  asked  for  some  years  ago  from  Parliament. 
The  proposed  measure  does  not  depend  upon  the  com 
petitive  examination  alone,  hence  there  has  been  intro 
duced  into  the  bill  a  provision  of  the  law  of  Prussia, 
and  which,  to  a  certain  extent,  is  enforced  in  France, 
and  also  found  in  Great  Britain,  especially  in  the  India 
service,  viz. :  the  system  of  probation.  Persons  are 
appointed  to  offices  for  a  certain  length  of  time,  and 
if  they  are  found  incapable  of  performing  its  duties, 
at  the  end  of  that  time  they  are  dropped.  They  must 


THE   SIOHTh   AND    SECRETS 

fulfil  the  expectations  raised  on  their  examination; 
they  must  be  efficient  as  -well  as  competent." 

The  merits  of  these  reforms  will  not  fail  to  com 
mend  themselves  to  the  reader,  who  will  echo  our  wish 
that  Mr.  Jenckes1  bill  may  speedily  become  a  law. 


OP   THE   NATIONAL   CAPITAL.  383 


XXII. 

FEMALE  CLERKS. 

STANDING  in  the  doorway  of  the  National  Theatre^ 
a  few  nights  ago,  watching  the  audience  leave  the 
building,  we  heard  a  young  snob  near  us  exclaim  to  his 
companion,  "  Let  us  go  now,  Tom  !  We've  seen  all 
the  ladies  !  The  rest  of  these  women  are  only  Treas 
ury  Clerks!" 

The  remark  affected  us  unpleasantly,  and  we  could 
not  help  asking  ourself,  "  Are  not  the  Treasury  Clerks 
ladies  ? "  The  majority  of  them  are,  but  it  is  a  melan 
choly  fact  that  many  of  them  are  either  suspected  of 
immoral  practices,  or  looked  down  upon  by  the  Wash- 
ingtonians  as  beings  of  a  lower  order. 

There  are  about  600  female  clerks  in  the  service 
of  the  Government,  in  Washington.  They  are  employed 
in  the  Treasury,  Interior,  and  Post  Office  Departments, 
the  Treasury  clerks  being  in  the  proportion  of  five  to 
one.  The  highest  salary  paid  is  $900,  the  lowest 
$600,  sums  notoriously  insufficient  to  support  the 
women  decently. 

Some  of  these  female  clerks  are  the  wives  of  men 
employed  in  the  same,  or  in  some  other  department ; 
others  are  married,  and  support  their  families  in  this 
way ;  but  the  great  majority  are  unmarried.  There 
are  both  widows  and  young  girls,  Some  are  old  ami 


384  THE    SIGHTS    AND    SECRETS 

ugly,  others  are  passable,  not  to  say  passe,  and  others 
still  are  young  and  pretty.  They  come  from  all  parts 
of  the  country,  but  principally  from  New  England, 
where  the  females  are  so  largely  in  excess  that  all 
cannot  fincl  employment  at  home.  They  board,  like 
the  male  clerks,  at  the  various  boarding  houses  of  the 
city,  and  in  private  families.  Their  mere  living  ex 
penses  are  heavy,  and  their  slender  salaries  are  scarcely 
sufficient  to  keep  them  decently.  They  are  black 
mailed  and  plundered  for  political  purposes,  like  the 
men,  and  are  liable  to  be  removed  from  their  places 
at  any  moment.  Their  positions  are  not  to  be  envied, 
and  ought  to  be  shunned  by  women  who  can  obtain 
honest  employment  elsewhere. 

THE   TREASURY    COURTESANS. 

The  Minority  Report  presented  in  Congress  in 
1864,  presents  the  following  picture  of  the  immorali 
ties  which  prevailed  in  the  Treasury  Department  at 
that  time : 

"  These  affidavits  disclose  a  mass  of  immorality 
and  profligacy,  the  more  atrocious  as  these  women 
were  employees  of  Clark,  hired  and  paid  by  him  with 
the  public  money.  These  women  seem  to  have  been 
selected,  in  the  Printing  Bureau,  for  their  youth  and 
personal  attractions.  Nekher  the  laws  of  God  nor 
of  man,  the  institution  of  the  Sabbath,  nor  common 
decencies  of  life  seem  to  have  been  respected  by  Clark 
in  his  conduct  with  these  women.  A  Treasury  Bureau 
— there,  where  is  printed  the  money-representative,  or 
expression  of  all  the  property  and  of  all  the  industry 


OF   THE   NATIONAL   CAPITAL.  385 

of  the  country — there,  where  the  wages  of  labor  are 
more  or  less  regulated,  and  upon  the  faith  and  good 
conduct  of  which  depends,  more  or  less,  every  man's 
prosperity — is  converted  into  a  place  for  debauchery 
and  drinking,  the  very  recital  of  which  is  impossible 
without  violating  decency.  Letters  go  thence,  ar 
ranging  to  clothe  females  in  male  attire  to  visit  '  the 
Canterbury.'  Assignations  are  made  from  thence." 

Accompanying  this  report  were  affidavits,  pro 
nounced  by  Mr.  J«  .1  dan,  the  Solicitor  of  the  Treasury, 
to  be,  in  his  judgment,  "tine,"  which  showed  that 
several  officers  connected  with  the  Printing  Bureau, 
two  of  whom,  at  least,  were  married  men,  used  their 
positions  to  seduce  the  women  employed  in  the  Bureau. 
The  father  of  one  of  these  girls  made  oath  that  the 
Superintendent  of  the  Sixteenth  Division  of  the  Print 
ing  Bureau,  deliberately  told  the  said  girl  that  if  she 
would  go  with  him  to  a  certain  hotel  in  that  city,  and 
submit  to  his  wishes,  he  would  raise  her  salary  to 
seventy-five  dollars  per  month. 

These  disclosures  attracted  considerable  attention 
at  the  time,  and,  unfortunately,  had  the  effect  of  caus 
ing  every  female  employee  of  the  Treasury  to  be  sus 
pected,  and  was,  doubtless,  the  original  cause  of  the 
suspicion  attaching  to  their  position  to-day. 

There  are,  no  doubt,  impure  women  in  the  employ 
of  the  Government,  but  there  are  also  many  who  are 
good  and  true,  and  who  would  grace  any  walk  of  life. 
The  good  and  the  bad  are  mingled  together.  Out 
wardly,  they  are  all  ladies  The  pure  women,  how 
ever,  who  are  in  a  large  majority,  know  their  erring 
25 


386  THE    SIGHTS    AND    SECRETS 

sisters,  for  such  conduct  cannot  be  hidden,  and  avoid 
them.  The  suspicion  which  rests  upon  these  clerks, 
as  a  class,  is  most  unjust  and  unfounded. 

PERSECUTIONS   OF   FEMALE    CLERKS. 

You  will  hear  it  said  in  Washington  that  the  ac 
ceptance  of  a  Government  clerkship  by  a  woman  is 
her  first  step  in  the  road  to  ruin.  If  she  is  young 
and  pretty,  she  is  surrounded  by  men  who  seek  her 
moral  destruction — men  oftentimes  high  in  position, 
and  who  ought  to  shrink  with  horror  from  such  devil 
ish  acts.  She  has  need  of  all  her  purity,  all  her  firm 
ness,  for  those  who  would  injure  her,  ply  every  art 
known  to  man.  They  surround  her  with  flattery, 
with  temptations  of  every  description,  and  when 
these  fail,  threaten  her  with  a  dismissal  from  the 
place  in  which  she  earns  her  bread,  if  she  does  not 
yield.  Nine  times  out  of  ten  she  is  the  child  of  poor 
parents,  or  her  father  may  have  died  under  the  old 
flag,  and  she  may  be  the  only  hope  of  a  widowed 
mother  for  bread,  and,  to  lose  her  place,  would  be  to 
bring  starvation  upon  her  loved  ones.  Her  perse 
cutors  weigh  well  all  these  things,  and  urge  them 
upon  her,  until  she  is  nearly  driven  mad,  and — she 
yields. 

Again,  it  is  said  that  a  woman's  virtue  is  made 
the  price  of  such  an  appointment,  which  price  is  paid 
to  the  party  through  whose  influence  the  place  is 
obtained ;  and  it  is  asserted  that  public  men  provide 
for  their  mistresses  by  placing  them  in  the  Govern 
ment  offices, 


OP   THE   NATIONAL    CAPITAL.  387 

Vice  of  this  kind  is  secret  in  all  its  workings,  and 
it  is  impossible  to  tell  how  many  of  these  female 
clerks  are  pure  women,  or  how  many  impure.  Aa 
we  have  said,  all  are  outwardly  virtuous,  and  each 
would  indignantly  repel  any  charge  brought  against 
her.  The  black  sheep  are  greatly  in  the  minority, 
but  are  still  believed  to  be  numerous.  Strong  efforts 
are  made  by  devils,  in  the  form  of  men,  to  increase 
their  number,  and  it  is  to  be  feared  that  these  efforts 
will,  in  many  cases,  be  successful. 


• 


888  THE   SIGHTS   AND    SECRETS 


XXIII. 
THE   SMITHSONIAN   INSTITUTION. 

THE  Smithsonian  Institution  stands  on  a  part  of 
Mie  portion  of  the  public  grounds  extending  west 
ward  from  the  Capitol  to  the  Potomac  Eiver,  and 
called  "  The  Mall"  The  grounds  extend  from  Seventh 
Street  West  to  Twelfth  Street  West,  and  from  the 
Canal  (which  forms  the  northern  boundaiy)  to  B 
Street  South.  They  are  very  extensive,  comprising 
an  area  of  fifty-two  acres,  and  were  laid  out  by  the 
distinguished  horticulturalist  and  landscape  gardener, 
Andrew  Jackson  Downing,  who  died  while  engaged 
in  this  work.  A  handsome  monument  to  his  memory 
stands  in  the  grounds.  It  consists  of  a  massive  vase 
resting  on  a  pedestal,  the  whole  being  executed  of  the 
finest  Italian  marble. 

THE   BUILDING 

stands  near  the  centre  of  the  park.  The  site  is  about 
twenty  feet  above  the  average  level  of  Pennsylvania 
Avenue,  and  the  centre  of  the  building  is  exactly 
opposite  Tenth  Street  West. 

The  structure  is  in  the*wstyle  of  architecture  be 
longing  to  the  last  half  of  the  twelfth  century,  the 
latest  variety  •  of  roundedr  style,  as  it  is  found  imme 
diately  anterior  to  its  merging  into  the  early  Gothic, 


SMITHSONIAN    INSTITUTION. 


OF   THE   NATIONAL    CAPITAL.  380 

and  is  known  as  the  Norman,  the  Lombard,  or  Ho* 
manesque.  The  semicircular  arch,  stilted,  is  employed 
throughout — in  doors,  windows,  and  other  openings. 

The  main  building  is  205  feet  long  by  57  feet 
wide,  and,  to  the  top  of  the  corbel  course,  58  feet 
high.  The  east  wing  is  82  by  52  feet,  and,  to  the 
top  of  its  battlement,  42 £  feet  high.  The  west  wing, 
including  its  projecting  apsis,  is  84  by  40  feet,  and 
38  feet  high.  Each  of  the  wings  is  connected  with 
the  main  building  by  a  range,  which,  including  its 
cloisters,  is  60  feet  long  by  49  feet  wide.  This  makes 
the  length  of  the  entire  building,  from  east  to  west, 
447  feet.  Its  greatest  breadth  is  160  feet. 

The  north  front  of  the  main  building  is  orna 
mented  with  two  central  towers,  the  loftiest  of  which 
is  150  feet  high.  It  has  also  a  handsome  covered 
carriage  way,  upon  which  opens  the  main  entrance 
to  the  building.  The  south  central  tower  is  37  feet 
square,  91  feet  high,  and  massively  constructed.  A 
double  campanile  tower,  17  feet  square,  and  117  feet 
high,  rises  from  the  northeast  corner  of  the  main 
building ;  and  the  southwest  corner  has  a  lofty  octa 
gonal  tower,  in  which  is  a  spiral  stairway,  leading  to 
the  summit.  There  are  four  other  smaller  towers  of 
lesser  heights,  making  nine  in  all,  the  effect  of  which 
is  very  beautiful,  and  which  once  caused  a  wit  to  re 
mark  that  it  seemed  to  him  as  if  a  "  collection  of 
church  steeples  had  gotten  lost,  and  were  consulting 
together  as  to  the  best  means  of  getting  home  to  their 
respective  churches." 

The  entire  edifice  is  constructed  of  a  fine  quality 


390  THE    SIGHTS    AND    SECRETS 

of  lilac  gray  freestone,  found  in  the  new  red  sand 
stone  formation,  where  it  crosses  the  Potomac,  near 
the  mouth  of  Seneca  Creek,  one  of  its  tributaries,  and 
about  twenty-three  miles  above  Washington.  It  is 
comparatively  soft  when  first  quarried,  and  is  easily 
worked  with  the  chisel  and  hammer ;  but  exposure 
causes  it  to  harden  rapidly,  and  enables  it  to  with 
stand  the  severest  usage.  It  is  one  of  the  most 
beautiful  building  materials  in  use,  and  renders  the 
"  Smithsonian  "  one  of  the  handsomest  and  most  at 
tractive  edifices  in  the  city. 

THE   INSTITUTION. 

was  founded  by  James  Smithson,  an  eminent  English 
man,  belonging  to  one  of  the  best  families  of  Great 
Britain.  He  died  in  1828,  and  left  the  sum  of  $515,- 
169  to  the  United  States,  for  the  purpose  of  found 
ing  the  institution  which  bears  his  name.  The  United 
States  accepted  the  trust  confided  to  it,  and,  in  1846, 
Congress  passed  an  act  establishing  the  "  Smithsonian 
Institution,"  and  in  May,  1847,  the  corner-stone  was 
laid,  with  Masonic  ceremonies,  in  the  presence  of  Pres 
ident  Polk  and  an  immense  concourse  of  strangers. 

The  object  of  James  Smithson  in  founding  this 
institution,  was,  in  his  own  words,  "  to  found  at  Wash 
ington,  under  the  name  of  the  Smithsonian  Institution, 
an  establishment  FOR  THE  INCREASE  AND  DIFFUSION  OF 
KNOWLEDGE  AMONG  MEN."  In  order  that  his  wishes 
might  be  carried  out  to  their  fullest  extent,  the  Board 
of  Regents  decided  upon  the  following  general  plan, 


0*   THE   NATIONAL    CAPITAL.  391 

upon  which  the  operations  of  the  Institution  are  con 
ducted  : 

"  To  Increase  Knowledge.  It  is  proposed  :  1.  Tc 
stimulate  men  of  talent  to  make  original  researches,  by 
offering  suitable  rewards  for  memoirs  containing  new 
truths ;  and,  2.  To  appropriate  annually  a  portion  of 
the  income  for  particular  researches,  under  the  direc 
tion  of  suitable  persons. 

"  To  Diffuse  Knowledge.  It  is  proposed  :  1.  To 
publish  a  series  of  periodical  reports  on  the  progress 
of  the  different  branches  of  knowledge;  and,  2.  To 
publish,  occasionally,  separate  treatises  on  subjects  of 
general  interest. 

"  Details  of  Plan  to  Increase  Knowledge.  I.  By 
stimulating  researches.  1.  Facilities  to  be  afforded  for 
the  production  of  original  memoirs  on  all  branches  of 
knowledge.  2.  The  memoirs  thus  obtained  to  be  pub 
lished  in  a  series  of  volumes,  in  a  quarto  form,  and  en 
titled  Smithsonian  Contributions  to  Knowledge.  3. 
No  memoir,  on  subjects  of  pl)37sical  science,  to  be  ac 
cepted  for  publication,  which  does  not  furnish  a  posi 
tive  addition  to  human  knowledge,  resting  on  original 
research ;  and  all  unverified  speculations  to  be  reject 
ed.  4.  Each  memoir  presented  to  the  Institution  to 
be  submitted  for  examination  to  a  commission  of  per 
sons  of  reputation  for  learning  in  the  branch  to  which 
the  memoir  pertains,  and  to  be  accepted  for  publica 
tion  only  in  case  the  report  of  this  commission  is  favor 
able.  5.  The  commission  to  be  chosen  by  the  officers 
of  the  Institution,  and  the  name  of  the  author,  as  far 
.as  practicable,  concealed,  unless  a  favorable  decision  be 


392  THE    SIGHTS   AND    SECRETS 

made.  6.  The  volumes  of  the  memoirs  to  be  exchang 
ed  for  the  transactions  of  literary  and  scientific  socie 
ties,  and  copies  to  be  given  to  all  the  colleges,  and 
principal  libraries,  in  this  country.  One  part  of  the 
remaining  copies  may  be  offered  for  sale ;  and  the 
other  carefully  preserved,  to  form  complete  sets  of  the 
work,  to  supply  the  demand  for  new  institutions.  7. 
An  abstract,  or  popular  account,  of  the  contents  of 
these  memoirs  to  be  given  to  the  public  through  the 
annual  report  of  the  Regents  to  Congress.  II.  By  ap 
propriating  a  part  of  the  income,  annually,  to  special 
objects  of  research,  under  the  direction  of  suitable 
persons.  1.  The  objects,  and  the  amount  appropri 
ated,  to  be  recommended  by  counsellors  of  the  Institu 
tion.  2.  Appropriations  in  different  years  to  different 
objects  ;  so  that  in  course  of  time  each  branch  of 
knowledge  may  receive  a  share.  3.  The  results  ob 
tained  from  these  appropriations  to  be  published,  with 
the  memoirs  before  mentioned,  in  the  volumes  of  the 
Smithsonian  Contributions  to  Knowledge.  4.  Exam 
ples  of  objects  for  which  appropriations  may  be  made  : 
(1.)  System  of  extended  meteorological  observations 
for  solving  the  problem  of  American  storms.  (2.) 
Explorations  in  descriptive  natural  history,  and  geo 
logical,  magnetical,  and  topographical  surveys,  to  col 
lect  materials  for  the  formation  of  a  Physical  Atlas  of 
the  United  States.  (3.)  Solution  of  experiment  prob 
lems,  such  as  a  new  determination  of  the  weight  of  the 
earth,  of  the  velocity  of  electricity  and  of  light ;  chem 
ical  analyses  of  soils  and  plants  ;  collection  and  publi 
cation  of  scientific  facts,  accumulated  in  the  offices  of 


OP   THE   NATIONAL   CAPITAL.  393 

government.  (4.)  Institution  of  statistical  inquiries 
with  reference  to  physical,  moral,  and  political  sub* 
jects.  (/>.)  Historical  researches,  and  accurate  sur 
veys  of  places  celebrated  in  American  history.  (6.) 
Ethnological  researches,  particularly  with  reference  to 
the  different  races  of  men  in  North  America ;  also,  ex 
plorations  and  accurate  surveys  of  the  mounds  and 
other  remains  of  the  ancient  people  of  our  country. 
"Details  of  the  Plan  for  Diffusing  Knowledge 

1.  By  the  publication  of  a  series  of  reports,  giving  an 
account  of  the  new  discoveries  in  science,  and  of  the 
changes  made  from  year  to  year  in  all  branches  of 
knowledge  not  strictly  professional.     1.  These  reports 
will  diffuse  a  kind  of  knowledge  generally  interesting, 
but  which,   at  present,  is  inaccessible  to  the  public. 
Some  reports  may  be  published   annually,  others  at 
longer  intervals,  as  the  income  of  the  Institution  or  the 
changes  in  the  branches  of  knowledge  may  indicate. 

2.  The  reports  are  to  be  prepared  by  colaborators  em 
inent  in  the  different  branches  of  knowledge.     3.  Each 
colaborator  to  be  furnished  with  the  journals  and  pub 
lications,  domestic  and  foreign,  necessary  to  the  com 
pilation  of  his  report ;  to  be  paid  a  certain  sum  for  his 
labors,  and  to  be  named  on  the  title-page  of  the  re 
port.     4.  The  reports  to  be  published  in  separate  parts, 
so  that  persons  interested  in  a  particular  branch  can 
procure  the  parts  relating  to  it  without  purchasing  the 
whole.     5.  These  reports  may  be  presented  to  Con 
gress  for  partial  distribution,  the  remaining  copies  to 
be  given  to  literary  and  scientific  institutions,  and  sold 
to  individuals  for  a  moderate  price.     II.  By  the  pub 


594 

lication  of  separate  treatises  on  subjects  of  general  in« 
terest.  1.  These  treatises  may  occasionally  consist  of 
valuable  memoirs  translated  from  foreign  languages,  or 
of  articles  prepared  under  the  direction  of  the  Insti 
tution,  or  procured  by  offering  premiums  for  the  best 
exposition  of  a  given  subject.  2.  The  treatises  should, 
in  all  cases,  be  submitted  to  a  commission  of  compe 
tent  judges  previous  to  their  publication. 

"  The  only  changes  made  in  the  policy  above  indi 
cated  have  been  the  passage  of  resolutions,  by  the  Re 
gents,  repealing  the  equal  division  of  the  income  be 
tween  the  active  operations  and  the  museum  and 
library,  and  further  providing  that  the  annual  appro 
priations  are  to  be  apportioned  specifically  among  the 
different  objects  and  operations  of  the  Institution,  in 
such  manner  aa  may,  in  the  judgment  of  the  Regents, 
be  necessary  and  proper  for  each,  according  to  its  in 
trinsic  importance,  and  a  compliance  in  good  faith  with 
the  law." 


of  the  Institution  is  regulated  by  an  Act  of  Congress, 
dated  August  10,  1846,  which  provides  that  "  the 
President  and  Vice-President  of  the  United  States, 
the  Secretary  of  State,  the  Secretary  of  the  Treasury, 
the  Secretary  of  War,  the  Secretary  of  the  Navy,  the 
Postmaster-General,  the  Attorney-General,  the  Chief 
Justice,  and  the  Commissioner  of  the  Patent  Office  of 
the  United  States,  and  the  Mayor  of  the  City  of 
Washington,  during  the  time  for  which  they  shall 
hold  their  respective  offices,  and  such  other  persons  as 


OF   THE   NATIONAL    CAPITAL.  395 

they  may  elect  as  honorary  members,  be  and  they  are 
hereby  constituted  an  '  establishment,1  by  the  name  of 
the  '  Smithsonian  Institution,'  for  the  increase  and  dif 
fusion  of  knowledge  among  men." 

The  law  also  provides  for  a  "  Board  of  Regents,'' 
to.  be  composed  of  the  President  of  the  United  States, 
the  Mayor  of  the  City  of  Washington,  three  members 
of  the  United  States  Senate,  and  three  of  the  House 
of  Representatives,  who  shall  serve  during  the  time 
for  which  they  hold  their  respective  offices,  and  six 
other  persons,  other  than  members  of  Congress,  two 
of  whom  shall  be  members  of  the  National  Institute, 
in  the  City  of  Washington,  and  resident  in  the  said 
City.  The  other  four  shall  be  citizens  of  other  States, 
no  two  of  whom  shall  be  chosen  from  the  same  State. 

A  general  supervision  is  exercised  by  the  "  estab 
lishment"  over  the  affairs  of  the  Institution;  but  its 
business  is  carried  on  by  the  Board  of  Regents,  who 
make  annual  reports  of  the  same  to  Congress. 

The  Executive  officer  of  the  Institution  is  the  Sec 
retary,  who  is  elected  by  the  Board  of  Regents.  He 
has  charge  of  the  building  and  all  its  contents,  and 
the  grounds,  and  is  provided  with  as  many  assistants 
as  are  necessary  to  the  discharge  of  his  various  duties. 

Though  the  Institution  is  cot  a  Government  estab 
lishment,  its  property  is  guarded  by  the  laws  which 
protect  the  public  buildings  and  grounds  in  the  City. 

The  Library  of  the  Institution,  -Consisting  of  over 
forty  thousand  carefully  selected  volumes,  was  trans 
ferred  in  1866  to  the  Library  of  Congress,  in  the  Cap- 
itol,  as  has  already  been  related. 


THE    SIGHTS    AND    SECRETS 
THE   FIKE    OF    1865. 

On  the  24th  of  January,  1865,  a  fire  occurred  at  the 
Institution  which  destroyed  the  upper  part  of  the 
main  building  and  the  towers.  It  was  extinguished 
before  it  reached  the  lower  story,  but  destroyed  the 
official,  scientific,  and  miscellaneous  correspondence, 
record  books,  and  manuscripts  in  the  Secretary's  office, 
the  large  collection  of  apparatus,  the  personal  effects 
of  James  Smithson,  Stanley's  gallery  of  Indian  por 
traits,  and  a  large  amount  of  the  property  of  the  In 
stitution,  and  of  persons  connected  with  it. 

The  loss  was  heavy,  but  the  fire  caused  no  inter 
ruption  in  the  practical  workings  of  the  Institution. 
The  library,  museum,  and  laboratory  were  uninjured, 
and  the  burned  portion  has  since  been  restored. 

THE    MUSEUM 

is  on  the  ground  floor,  and  occupies  the  principal  hall 
of  the  main  building,  and  is  beautifully  fitted  up.  The 
hall  is  one  of  the  most  elegant  in  the  city,  and  is  sur 
rounded  by  rows  of  glass  cases,  in  two  tiers,  containing 
the  specimens  on  exhibition.  The  upper  tier  is  reached 
by  means  of  light  iron  stairways  and  galleries.  We 
take  the  following  description  of  the  hall  and  its  con 
tents  from  a  pamphlet  sold  in  the  Institution  to  visitors : 
"  Under  these  provisions,  the  Institution  has  re 
ceived  and  taken  charge  of  such  Government  collec 
tions  in  mineralogy,  geology,  and  natural  history  as  have 
been  made  since  its  organization.  The  amount  of  these 
has  been  very  great,  as  all  the  United  States  Geological, 
Boundary,  and  Railroad  Surveys,  with  the  various 


OF  THE  NATIONAL  CAPITAL.          397 

topographical,  military,  and  naval  explorations,  have 
been,  to  a  greater  or  less  extent,  ordered  to  make  such 
collections  as  would  illustrate  the  physical  and  naturaj 
history  features  of  the  regions  traversed. 

"  Of  the  collections  made  by  thirty  Government 
expeditions,  those  of  twenty-five  are  now  deposited 
with  the  Smithsonian  Institution,  embracing  more  than 
five-sixths  of  the  whole  amount  of  materials  collected. 
The  principal  expeditions  thus  furnishing  collections 
are  the  United  States  Geological  Surveys  of  Doctors 
Owen,  Jackson,  and  Evans,  and  of  Messrs.  Foster  and 
Whitney ;  the  United  States  and  Mexican  Boundary 
Survey ;  the  Pacific  Railroad  Survey  ;  the  Exploration 
of  the  Yellow  Stone,  by  Lieutenant  Warren  ;  the  Sur 
vey  of  Lieutenant  Bryan  ;  the  United  States  Naval 
Astronomical  Expedition ;  the  North  Pacific  Behring 
Straits  Expedition  ;  the  Japan  Expedition,  and  the 
Paraguay  Expedition. 

"The  Institution  has  also  received,  from  other 
sources,  collections  of  greater  or  less  extent,  from 
various  portions  of  North  America,  tending  to  com 
plete  the  Government  series. 

"  The  collections  thus  made,  taken  as  a  whole,  con 
stitute  the  largest  and  best  series  of  the  minerals,  fossils, 
rocks,  animals,  and  plants  of  the  entire  continent  of 
North  America,  in  the  world.  Many  tons  of  geolog 
ical  and  mineralogical  specimens,  illustrating  the  sur 
veys  throughout  the  West,  are  embraced  therein. 
There  is  also  a  very  large  collection  of  minerals  of  the 
mining  regions  of  Northern  Mexico,  and  of  New 
Mexico,  made  by  a  practical  Mexican  geologist,  during 


898  THE    SIGHTS    AND    SECRETS 

f 

a  period  of  twenty-five  years,  and  furnishing  indications 
of  many  rich  mining  localities  within  our  own  borders, 
yet  unknown  to  the  American  people. 

"  It  includes,  also,  with  scarcely  an  exception,  all 
the  vertebrate  animals  of  North  America,  among  them 
many  specimens  each  of  the  Grizzly,  Cinnamon,  and 
Black  Bears  ;  the  Panther,  Jaguar,  Ocelot,  and  several 
species  of  Lynx  or  Wildcat ;  the  Elk,  the  Mexican, 
Virginian,  White-tailed,  Black-tailed,  and  Mule  Deer  ; 
the  Antelope,  Rocky  Mountain  Goat  and  Sheep  ;  sev 
eral  species  of  Wolves  and  Foxes,  the  Badger,  Beaver, 
Porcupine,  Prairie  Dog,  Gopher,  and  also  about  seven 
hundred  species  of  American  Birds,  four  hundred  of 
Reptiles,  and  eight  hundred  of  Fishes,  embracing  Sal 
mon,  Trout,  Pike,  Pickerel,  White  Fish,  Muskalonge, 
Bass,  Red  fish,  &c. 

"  The  greater  part  of  the  Mammalia  have  been  ar 
ranged  in  walnut  drawers,  made  proof  against  dust 
and  insects.  The  birds  have  been  similarly  treated, 
while  the  reptiles  and  fish  have  been  classified,  as,  to 
some  extent,  have  also  been  the  shells,  minerals,  fossils, 
and  plants. 

"  The  Museum  hall  is  quite  large  enough  to  contain 
all  the  collections  hitherto  made,  as  well  as  such  others 
as  may  be  assigned  to  it.  No  single  room  in  the 
country  is,  perhaps,  equal  to  it  in  capacity  or  adapta 
tion  to  its  purposes,  as,  by  the  arrangements  now  being 
perfected,  and  denoted  in  the  illustration,  it  is  capable 
of  receiving  twice  as  large  a  surface  of  cases  as  the  old 
Patent  Office  Hall,  and  three  times  that  of  the  Academy 
of  Sciences  of  Philadelphia. 


OP  THE  NATIONAL  CAPITAL.          399 

"Every  article  will  be  distinctly  and  accurately 
labelled  by  naturalists  of  the  highest  authority  iu  each 
department,  and  the  duplicates  will  be  distributed  to 
the  principal  museums  in  the  world." 

There  are  several  fine  specimens  of  meteorites  in 
the  museum,  one  of  which  is  the  largest  specimen  to 
be  seen  in  this  country,  next  to  the  Texas  meteorite  iu 
Yale  College. 

THE   SOUTH   HALL 

contains  a  number  of  articles  of  special  interest. 
Among  these  is  an  ancient  sarcophagus,  brought  by 
Commodore  Elliott,  in  the  frigate  Constitution,  in  1839 
from  Beirut,  in  Syria.  It  is  believed  to  have  held  the 
mortal  remains  of  the  great  Roman  Emperor  Alexander 
Severus,  and  was  designed  by  Captain  Elliott  and  his 
officers  as  a  last  resting-place  for  the  body  of  Andrew 
Jackson,  at  his  death ;  but  "  Old  Hickory  "  declined 
the  honor  of  being  buried  in  another  man's  coffin,  and 
the  sarcophagus  is  now  amongst  the  treasures  of  the 
"  Smithsonian." 

In  the  same  hall  is  a  plank  from  one  of  the  "  Big 
Trees "  of  California,  and  several  Idols  from  Central 
America,  presented  by  the  Hon.  E.  G.  Squier,  late 
U.  S.  Minister  to  Nicaragua. 


40C  THE    SIGHTS    AND    SECRETS 


XXIV. 
.GAMBLERS. 

WASHINGTON  is  the  paradise  of  gamblers,  and  con 
tains  many  handsome  and  elegantly  fitted-up  establish 
ments.  It  is  said  that  at  least  one  hundred  of  these 
"  hells  "  were  in  full  blast  during  the  war.  The  num 
ber  has  been  greatly  reduced  by  the  departure  from 
Washington  of  the  vast  army  of  persons  temporarily 
sojourning  in  that  city  for  various  purposes  during  the 
Rebellion. 

The  majority  of  these  establishments  are  located 
on  "Pennsylvania  Avenue,"  or  in  the  streets  leading 
immediately  from  it.  You  may  recognize  them  by  the 
heavily-curtained  windows  through  which  the  gaslight 
shines  dimly,  by  the  general  air  of  silence  and  mystery 
which  pervades  the  whole  place,  and  by  the  brightly- 
lighted  hall,  over  the  door  of  which  shines  the  number 
of  the  house  in  heavy  gilt  letters.  Some  of  these 
houses  are  furnished  magnificently,  and  provide  their 
guests  with  suppers  and  wines  of  the  most  superb 
quality. 

Every  thing  is  done  to  draw  custom.  The  best 
houses  are  fitted  up  in  a  style  of  magnificence  which  is 
princely.  The  floors  are  covered  with  the  richest  and 
most  yielding  carpets,  so  soft  that  the  tramp  of  a 
thousand  men  would  scarcely  awaken  an  echo  in  the 


A.  •WASHINGTON    GAMBLING  HELL. 


OF  THE  NATIONAL  CAPITAL.          401 

gorgeous  apartments.  The  walls  and  ceilings  are  ex 
quisitely  frescoed  and  adorned  with  choice  works  of 
art.  The  furniture  is  costly  and  tasteful.  Heavy  close 
curtains  of  the  most  sumptuous  materials  cover  the 
windows  and  exclude  all  noises  from  without  and 
deaden  all  sounds  within.  Splendid  chandeliers,  with 
scores  of  gas  jets  shining  through  cut-glass  globes,  shed 
a  brilliant  glare  through  the  rooms,  and  negro  servants, 
exquisitely  dressed,  attend  your  every  want  with  a 
grace  and  courtesy  positively  enchanting. 

The  proprietor,  if  you  did  not  know  his  trade,  you 
would  take  for  one  of  the  high  officials  of  the  Repub 
lic,  so  courtly  are  his  manners,  and  so  lofty  his  bearing. 
He  is,  as  gamblers  understand  the  term,  a  gentleman 
of  the  bluest  blood,  and  would  scorn  to  commit  what 
he  considered  a  mean  act.  He  will  treat  you  fairly,  is 
glad  to  see  you,  and  exerts  himself  to  leave  you  with 
an  impression  which  will  induce  you  to  repeat  your 
visit. 

The  table  and  wines  are  free  to  all,  and  you  can 
play  or  not,  as  you  please.  Few  have  the  assurance, 
however,  to  partake  of  such  magnificent  hospitality 
without  making  some  return,  and  generally  lose  a  few 
dollars  during  the  evening,  by  way  of  payment.  . 

THE   GAME. 

In  these  first-class  establishments  "square  games " 
alone  are  allowed,  and  the  visitor  is  sure  of  being  dealt 
fairly  with.  Faro  is  the  principal  game,  and  is  played 
as  follows :  In  front  of  the  dealer  is  a  table  with  a 
green  cloth,  upon  which  a  number  of  cards  are  laid. 
2<5 


402  THE    SIGHTS    AND    SECRETS 

These  cards  are  sometimes  fastened  down  to  the  table, 
to  prevent  their  being  disarranged  in  the  excitement 
of  play.  This  is  called  the  "  lay  out."  A  pack  of 
cards,  corresponding  to  those  on  the  table,  is  then 
placed  in  a  patent  silver  case,  and  the  dealer  shuffles 
them  out  one  by  one  upon  the  "  lay  out."  A  player 
deposits  his  stake  upon  a  card,  the  Jack  of  diamonds, 
for  instance.  If  the  dealer,  in  shuffling,  throws  the 
corresponding  Jack  from  the  pack  in  the  box  upon  the 
Jack  in  the  "  lay  out "  upon  the  table,  the  player  wins 
from  the  bank,  which  is  owned  by  the  proprietor  of 
the  house,  an  amount  equal  to  his  stake  ;  but  if  a  dif 
ferent  card  falls  upon  it  he  loses  his  stake. 

In  first-class  houses,  the  shuffling  is  done  fairly  by 
the  dealer,  who  is  a  proficient  in  his  trade,  and  rarely 
loses.  The  bank  relies  upon  his  superior  skill  to  keep 
its  coffers  full ;  and  as  a  general  rule,  he  wins,  for  faro 
is  decided  by  skill  as  often  as  by  chance. 

There  is  generally  but  little  money  to  be  seen  on 
the  table.  The  sums  risked  are  represented  by  ivory 
checks  called  counters,  each  of  which  has  its  value 
stamped  upon  it.  They  are  purchased  from  the  pro 
prietor  by  persons  wishing  to  play,  and  are  promptly 
cashed  upon  presentation.  This  is  done  as  a  matter 
of  safety.  The  law  forbids  gambling  for  money,  and 
if,  in  case  of  a  descent  by  the  police,  no  money  is  visi 
ble,  it  is  hard  to  make  a  case  against  the  proprietor 
and  his  friends. 

The  gaming-room  is  usually  in  the  rear  of  the 
building,  so  that  it  shall  not  be  the  first  room  entered 
by  the  police  in  case  of  a  descent  by  them,  The  table 


OF   THE    NATIONAL    CAPITAL.  403 

is  surrounded  by  players  all  through  the  evening. 
Some  lose  only  a  few  dollars.  Others  play  heavily, 
and  lose  or  win  thousands.  There  is  very  little  conver 
sation  in  the  apartment.  The  players  are  too  much 
interested  in  the  game  to  talk.  Men  lay  down  their 
stakes  in  silence,  and  the  cards  are  shuffled  amidst  an 
unbroken  stillness.  The  bank  wins  or  loses,  the  stakes 
are  gathered  up  and  replaced,  but  not  a  word  is  said. 
The  dealer  is  calm,  cool,  and  smiling,  as  are  a  few  of 
the  old  players,  but  the  majority  are  excited  and  nerv 
ous.  As  the  fascination  of  the  game  grows  upon  them, 
they  brace  up  their  nerves  with  liquors,  until  they  lose 
all  semblance  of  reason,  and  play  with  a  recklessness 
that  is  sure  to  ruin  them.  Hundreds,  thousands  of 
dollars  change  hands  in  a  single  night. 

THE    PLAYERS. 

If  you  wish  to  see  th6  "great  men,"  as  they  are 
called,  of  the  country,  get  some  one  who  has  the  entree 
to  take  you  to  the  principal  faro-bank  of  Washington 
upon  almost  any  night  during  the  winter,  which  is  not 
devoted  to  a  reception  by  one  of  the  high  officers  of 
the  Government.  Here  you  will  see  not  only  "  profes 
sional  "  gamblers,  and  visitors  to  the  city,  whom  they 
have  drawn  thither,  but  also  men  high  in  position  and 
authority  in  the  land — Governors,  Congressmen,  Ex 
ecutive  officers,  officers  of  the  Army  ami  Navy,  who 
shame  the  blue  and  gold  of  their  country's  livery  by 
parading  it  in  such  a  place,  clerks,  contractors,  pay 
masters,  ancj  a  host  of  such  worthies.  The  proprietor 
of  this  house  counts  the  magnates  of  the  land  among 


404  THE    SIGHTS    AND    SECRETS 

his  intimate  friends.  Some  of  them  are  old  players, 
and  lose  and  win  heavily  here,  their  losses  being  the 
heavier  in  the  end.  The  luckiest  man  we  ever  heard 
of  in  Washington,  was  a  Congressman,  who,  a  few 
years  before  the  war,  broke  the  bank  in  a  single 
night,  thereby  winning  over  one  hundred  thousand 
dollars.  During  the  memorable  session  of  1859-60, 
when  the  organization  of  the  House  of  Representa 
tives  was  delayed  by  the  fight  over  John  Sherman  for 
Speaker,  it  is  said  that  the  proprietor  of  this  bank  held 
orders  for  a  large  share  of  the  total  pay  and  mileage 
of  nearly  every  member  of  the  House. 

You  see  here  men  charged  with  the  disbursement 
or  collection  of  the  public  funds,  and  you  are  not  sur 
prised  to  hear  soon  after  of  discrepancies  in  their  ac 
counts.  It  would  be  interesting,  to  say  the  least,  to 
know  how  much  of  the  people's  money  goes  into  the 
pockets  of  the  keepers  of  these  "  hells."  Many  good, 
trusting  wives  at  home,  would  hardly  be  pleased  to 
look  in  here  and  find  their  husbands. 

Sad  as  is  the  assertion,  it  is  nevertheless  true,  that 
the  greatest  men  this  country  has  ever  produced,  have 
been  frequenters  of  these  fashionable  "  hells."  This 
has  been  so  for  fully  half  a  century,  and  it  seems  hardly 
probable  that  the  practice  will  be  discontinued.  The 
proprietor  of  the  house  we  are  discussing  could  tell 
you  rare  stories  of  our  great  men,  living  and  dead,  in 
and  out  of  power,  but  he  never  talks  of  these  things 
except  in  the  society  of  his  confidential  friends. 

There  are  four  houses  in  Washington  which  de 
serve  the  name  of  "  first  class  establishments,"  These 


OF   THE   NATIONAL   CAPITAL.  405 

are  conducted  ujon  principles  of  the  strictest  integrity 
as  the  term  is  understood  in  the  profession,  and  the 
proprietors  are  very  careful  as  to  whom  they  admit  to 
their  hospitalities.  Visitors  must  be  introduced  or 
vouched  for  by  some  party  known  to  be  reliable. 
Members  of  Congress,  or  of  the  Government,  and 
officers  of  the  Army  or  Navy,  are  always  welcome. 

Thousands  of  dollars  belonging  to  the  Government 
were  lost  in  these  places  during  the  late  war,  by  com 
missaries,  quartermasters,  paymasters,  and  others  in 
charge  of  the  public  funds.  Many  a  man  has  entered 
these  doors  with  the  consciousness  of  and  a  reputation 
for  honesty,  and  has  left  them  a  perjured  thief.  Some 
have  averted  the  ruin  which  they  have  brought  upon 
themselves,  by  suicide  on  the  spot.  All  is  not  so  fair 
and  pleasant  in  the  history  of  these  gilded  palaces  of 
sin  as  the  outward  show  would  indicate.  There  are 
dark  chapters,  records  of  deep  tragedies,  deeper  than 
any  romancer  ever  dreamed  of,  and  for  which  the 
courtly  gentlemen  who  preside  over  these  gateways 
to  hell  will  be  called  upon  to  answer  when  the  Great 
Books  are  opened. 

SECOND-CLASS   HOUSES. 

Besides  the  establishments  already  described,  there 
are  many  of  a  lower  and  viler  character.  Some  are 
gaudily  furnished,  and  some  have  female  dealers  to  lure 
the  unwary  to  their  fate.  They  are  managed  and  fre 
quented  by  scoundrels,  and  every  advantage  is  taken 
of  a  visitor.  He  is  made  drunk,  forced  to  play,  and 
swindled  out  of  his  last  cent.  The  frequenters  of  these 


406  THE  SIGHTS  AND  SECRETS 

places  are  desperate  men,  and  think  nothing  of  taking 
human  life.  Visitors  are  expected  to  play,  and  are  apt 
to  be  insulted  or  assaulted  if  they  refuse  to  do  so.  The 
amount  of  villainy  practised  in  these  places  increases 
as  one  descends  the  scale  of  their  so-called  respecta 
bility. 

You  never  see  in  these  places  the  men  who  frequent 
the  first-class  houses.  The  visitors  are  men  who  can 
not  get  into  better  establishments,  and  strangers  to  the 
city.  The  proprietors  keep  their  decoys  about  the 
hotels  and  the  Capitol.  They  are  well  dressed,  rather 
flashy  in  fact,  have  an  abundance  of  time  on  their 
hands,  and  are  the  most  obliging  men  in  Washington. 
They  will  introduce  themselves  to  strangers,  take  any 
amount  of  trouble  to  show  them  the  sights  of  the  city, 
and  end  by  taking  them  to  the  "  hell  "  to  which  they 
are  attached,  where  the  poor  victims  are  made  drunk 
and  fleeced  of  their  last  dollar.  They  rarely  make  a 
mistake  in  accosting  strangers,  for  they  are  keen  judges 
of  human  nature.  They  know  a  lobby-agent  or  an 
office-seeker  at  a  glance,  and  as  their  time  would  be 
wasted  upon  such  persons,  pass  them  by  and  ply  their 
arts  upon  those  who  are  strangers  and  sight-seers. 
They  are  paid  a  commission  upon  the  winnings  from 
their  victims,  on  which  they  live  very  handsomely. 

Persons  visiting  Washington  would  do  well  to  avoid 
these  over-civil  "gentlemen."  Honest  men  are  not  apt 
to  take  up  sudden  fancies  for  strangers,  and  such  de 
monstrations  afford  good  presumpt.ve  evidence  that 
your  new  acquaintance  is  plotting  your  ruin.  Give 
him  a  wide  berth.  Decline  his  proffered  civilities,  and 


Otf   tfHfc   NATIONAL    CAPITAL.  407 

beware  how  and  where  you  drink  with  him.  If  neces 
sary,  repulse  him  rudely,  and  decline  instantly  all  hia 
offers  to  show  you  the  mysteries  of  a  gambling  house, 
for  there  is  not  a  man  connected  with,  or  who  "  hag 
the  run "  of  any  first-class  establishment,  who  will 
volunteer  or  consent  to  introduce  there  a  person  who 
is  a  total  stranger  to  him.  He  would  just  as  soon  think 
of  taking  him  into  his  own  family.  If,  therefore,  any 
man,  whom  you  do  not  know  to  be  a  gentleman,  asks 
you  to  go  to  a  gambling-house  with  him,  refuse,  or  you 
will  repent  it.  Of  course,  all  these  fellows  represent  the 
establishment  they  ask  you  to  visit  as  the  best  in  the 
city,  but  their  very  invitation  is  a  proof  of  their  false 
hood.  Keep  away  from  all  such  places,  fashionable 
and  disreputable.  Ruin  awaits  you  in  each  one.  Your 
only  safety  lies  in  a  total  avoidance  of  them. 

A    CONGRESSIONAL    GAMBLER. 

Don  Piatt,  whose  Washington  letters  have  won  him 
such  a  brilliant  reputation,  draws  the  following  sketcli 
of  a  well-known  gentleman  in  public  life : 

"  Armed  with  a  card,  I  sought  one  of  the  more 
famous  of  the  four  known  to  the  better — I  beg  pardon 
— the  upper  class  of  the  sporting  fraternity.  I  found 
the  number  brightly  gilt  on  the  transom  light,  by  the 
red  glare  of  a  chandelier,  in  the  most  frequented  part 
of  Pennsylvania  Avenue.  Entering  the  unlocked  door, 
I  passed  along  the  handsomely  carpeted  hall,  and  ascend 
ing  the  stairs,  found  myself  at  a  door  closed  and  locked, 
and  gave  the  bell-pull  a  jerk,  that  was  responded  to 
in  a  second  by  a  pair  of  bright  eyes  peering  at  me 


408  THE    SIGHTS    AND    SECRETS 

through  a  small  grating  that  I  had  not  before  observed, 
I  put  before  these  watchful  eyes  the  magic  bit  of  paste 
board  I  held,  and  immediately  the  door  flew  open  and 
exhibited  a  well-dressed  mulatto,  who  invited  me  to 
walk  in  ;  and,  following  this  guide,  I  ascended  more 
stairs,  passed  along  another  hall,  and  was  ushered  into 
a  large,  well-lit,  handsomely  furnished  suite  of  rooms. 
On  my  right  was  a  sideboard,  glittering  with  decanters 
and  goblets,  on  every  side  were  paintings  that  come 
under  the  popular  head  of  u  old  masters,"  and  some 
under  that  of  old  mistresses ;  and  at  the  further  end 
of  the  last  room,  under  a  huge  painting  of  a  tiger,  large 
as  life,  that  looked  like  a  hearth,,  very  gorgeously 
framed,  stood  the  fatal  green  table,  where  men  wagered 
their  money  and  lost  their  souls. 

"  There  were  few  in  the  room,  and  those  few  were, 
singly  or  in  groups,  reading  the  papers,  or  conversing 
in  a  subdued  tone,  or  sipping  quietly  from  glasses  of 
mixed  drinks.  The  proprietor  came  forward  in  an 
easy,  courteous  manner,  and  bade  me  welcome.  He 
was  a  man  of  sixty  or  sixty-five  years  of  age,  with  a 
white  head  of  hair  so  evenly  and  regularly  combed  out 
that  it  suggested  a  wig,  and  flowing  whiskers,  English 
cut,  of  the  same  snowy  tint.  A  smile  sat  amiably  in 
his  gray  eyes,  and  lingered  about  his  forehead  and 
nose,  but  faded  out  near  the  mouth,  that  was  as 
poison -cold  and  rigid  as  that  of  an  executioner.  He 
had  the  firmly-fixed,  old,  stilted  politeness  of  Virginia, 
that  goes  so  well  with  the  peculiar  dialect  that  comes 
from  the  much-abused  African — as,  indeed,  the  manner 
does.  . 


OF   THE   NATIONAL   CAPITAL.  409 

"  I  have  given  the  interior  in  detail,  for  the  descrip 
tion  wil]  serve  for  all  of  the  four  first-class  establish 
ments.  This  is  one  of  the  oldest  in  Washington. 
Here  you  meet  your  Congressmen,  your  rich  contractor 
your  head  of  the  "ring,"  and  respectable  navy  and 
army  officers.  This  was  the  favorite  haunt  of  the  late 
Thad.  Stevens,  now  eulogized,  lamented,  and  sainted — 
he  who  is  so  well  canonized,  and  was  so  lately  cannon 
aded. 

"  But,  to  return  to  our  mutton :  I  made  the  knowl 
edge  of  this  wicked  interior  many  years  since,  and  I 
cannot  give  a  better  illustration  of  the  fascinations  of 
the  den  than  by  relating  the  manner  of  it.  I  was 
passing  through  the  rotunda  of  the  Capitol  immediately 
after  the  adjournment,  for  the  day,  of  Congress,  when 
I  encountered,  as  I  shall  call  him,  the  Hon.  Dick 
Dashall,  M.  C.,  from  a  border  State. 

"  *  For  what  are  you  heading,  mine  ancient  ? '  he 
asked,  locking  his  arm  in  mine. 

"  '  Making  for  my  daily  indigestion,  called  a  dinner,' 
I  replied. 

"  *  You  don't  mean  to  say  that  you  have  had  a  din 
ner  since  coming  to  Washington  ?  That's  all  nonsense. 
But  I  say,  pay  for  the  hack,  and  I'll  show  you  a  din 


ner.' 


"  This  sentence  was  uttered  in  the  good  fellow's 
most  insinuating,  confidential,  and  fascinating  manner. 

"  '  Dick,'  I  said  solemnly,  '  I  know  what  that  means, 
and  I  won't  do  it.' 

" '  Nonsense.  I  want  only  the  princely  meal.  I 
promise  not  to  gamble.  I  am  in  earnest ;  you  may 


410  I'HE    SIGHTS    AftD    SECRETS 

carry  my  purse — that  is  the  most  solemn  assurance  of 
earnestness  that  I  can  give.  Now  come.' 

"  I  permitted  myself  to  be  persuaded,  and  we  drove 
to  the  place  I  have  described.  It  was  the  hour  of 
dinner,  and  the  guests  were  about  taking  their  places 
at  the  glittering  board.  Dick  was  hailed  with  delight. 
One  and -all  knew  that  he  had,  for  weeks  back,  been 
on  the  reform,  and  they  laughed  merrily  on  seeing 
him  in  the  old  haunt  again.  The  dinner  was  superb. 
The  choicest  wines  threaded  their  glittering  way 
through  the  rarest  dishes,  and  for  nearly  two  hours  the 
gay  crowds  ate,  drank,  smoked  and  talked.  It  would 
startle  many  of  your  readers  were  I  to  give  the  names 
of  the  guests  about  that  table. 

"  The  dinner  over,  Dick  lingered.  I  could  not 
get  him  away.  He  wished  to  watch  the  playing  for  a 
few  minutes.  Then  he  demanded  a  V  out  of  his 
purse  to  pay  for  the  dinner. 

" '  But  you  promised  me — ' 

"  '  Well,  yes ;  but  we  can't  sneak  off  like  loafers, 
without  paying  for  our  dinner.  Come,  give  me  a  V, 
and  I  swear  I'll  go  then  like  a  gentleman.' 

"  I  reluctantly  gave  him  the  golden  five.  Unfor 
tunately,  it  won.  Again  I  urged  him  to  go,  but  he 
persisted  in  his  determination  to  pay  for  the  dinner, 
and  so  continued  playing.  In  despair,  I  at  last  aban 
doned  my  friend,  carrying  away  his  purse,  believing 
that  the  best  way  to  stop  his  gambling. 

"  At  ten  o'clock  I  went  to  his  room,  to  find  it  de 
serted.  I  waited  an  hour  without  seeing  him  return. 
I  went  away,  and  came  back,  but  found  no  Dick.  At 


OP   THE   NATIONAL   CAPITAL.  411 

last,  about  midnight,  I  sought  the  hell  I  have  described. 
The  rooms  were  partially  deserted,  and  at  the  table  I 
found  my  friend  with  a  pile  of  gold  at  his  elbow. 

"  '  Has  he  won  all  that  ? '  I  asked  of  his  coasin,  an 
old  habitue  of  the  place. 

4<  l  Devil  a  bit ! '  he  replied  ;  '  he  has  been  checking 
out  his  pay  and  mileage,  and  for  hours  has  been  run 
ning  up  and  down  like  a  rotten  bucket  in  a  well.' 

"  I  knew  that  remonstrance  would  be  useless,  and 
standing  by,  I  watched  the  varying  run  of  luck,  some- 
times  favorable  to  the  player,  but  generally  against  him. 
At  last,  long  hours  after  my  arrival,  he  seemed  to  take 
the  down  train  without  brakes,  and  lost  all. 

"  The  day  was  just  breaking  over  the  white  dome 
of  the  Capitol,  and  the  yet  sleeping  town,  when  we 
emerged  from  the  hell,  and  turning  to  my  friend,  I 
said : 

" '  Well,  Richard,  what  do  you  think  of  yourself 
along  about  this  time  ? ' 

"  *  That  I  am,  as  I  always  have  been,  and  will  be 
forever  and  forever,  a  d— d  fool.'  " 


412  THE    SIGHTS    AND    SECRETS 


XXV. 

THE  NATIONAL  OBSERVATORY. 

THE  National  Observatory  is  situated  upon  an  ele 
vated  site,  southwest  of  the  President's  Mansion,  near 
the  Georgetown  line,  and  commands  a  fine  view  of  both 
cities  and  of  the  Potomac  River  as  far  down  as  Fort 
Washington  and  Mount  Vernon.  It  is  under  the  con 
trol  of  the  Navy  Department,  and  is  in  charge  of  a 
corps  of  Naval  officers  selected  for  their  scientific  abil 
ities.  It  ranks  high  amongst  the  Observatories  of  the 
world,  that  of  Russia  only  being  superior  to  it.  It  is 
in  charge  of  all  the  nautical  books,  maps,  charts,  and 
instruments  belonging  to  the  Navy. 

The  usual  astronomical  duties  of  such  an  establish 
ment  are  performed  here  most  skilfully,  but  as  they 
would  be  interesting  chiefly  to  men  well  versed  in  the 
sciences,  no  description  of  them  will  be  attempted  here. 

THE    CHRONOMETERS 

belonging  to  the  Government  are  kept  in  a  room  set 
apart  for  that  purpose.  These  instruments  are  pur 
chased  by  the  Navy  Department  with  the  understand 
ing  that  they  are  to  be  tested  in  the  Observatory  for 
one  year.  They  are  placed  in  the  chronometer-room, 
and  carefully  wound  and  regulated.  They  are  exam 
ined  daily,  and  compared  with  the  Great  Astronom- 


OF  THE   NATIONAL   CAPITAL.  413 

ical  Clock  of  the  Observatory,  and  an  accurate  record 
of  the  movements  of  each  one  is  kept  in  a  book  pre 
pared  for  that  purpose.  The  temperature  of  the  room 
is  also  examined  daily,  and  recorded.  These  minute 
records  enable  the  officers  of  the  Observatory  to  point 
out  the  exact  fault  of  each  imperfect  chronometer. 
Thanks  to  this,  the  maker  is  enabled  to  remedy  the 
defect,  and  the  instrument  is  made  perfect.  At  the 
end  of  the  year,  the  instruments  found  to  be  unsatis 
factory  are  returned  to  their  makers,  and  those  which 
pass  the  test  are  paid  for.  The  returned  instruments 
are  usually  overhauled  by  the  makers,  and  the  defects 
remedied.  They  are  then  sent  back  for  a  trial  of  an 
other  year,  at  the  end  of  which  time  they  rarely  fail 
to  pass. 

There  are  usually  from  60  to  100  chronometers  on 
trial  at  the  Observatory,  and  the  apartment  in  which 
they  are  kept  is  one  of  the  most  interesting  in  the  es 
tablishment. 

The  researches  connected  with  the  famous  "  Wind 
and  Current  Charts,"  begun  and  prosecuted  so  success 
fully  by  Lieut.  Matthew  F.  Maury,  whose  services  were 
unfortunately  lost  to  the  country  by  his  participation 
in  the  Rebellion,  are  conducted  here,  and  also  those 
connected  with  "  The  Habits  of  the  Whale,"  and  other 
ocean  phenomena. 

THE   EQUATOKIAL, 

which  is  the  largest  telescope  in  the  Observatory,  is 
mounted  in  the  revolving  dome  which  rises  above  the 
main  building.  It  has  a  fourteen-feet  refractor,  and 


414  THE    SIGHTS    AND    SECRETS 

an  object-glass  nine  inches  in  diameter.  Its  move* 
ments  are  most  ingenious,  being  regulated  by  ma 
chinery  and  clock-work.  Its  powers  are  so  great,  that 
it  renders  stars  visible  at  mid-day ;  and,  if  directed  to 
a  given  star  in  the  morning,  its  machinery  will  work 
so  accurately  that  it  will  follow  with  perfect  exactness 
the  path  of  the  star,  which  will  be  visible  through  it 
as  long  as  the  star  is  above  the  horizon. 

The  Meridian  and  Mural  Circles  are  in  one  of  the 
rooms  below. 

THE   TRANSIT   INSTRUMENT 

is  placed  in  the  west  wring  of  the  building,  under  a 
slit  twenty  inches  wide,  extending  across  the  roof,  and 
down  the  wall  of  the  apartment  on  each  side,  to  with 
in  four  or  five  feet  of  the  floor.  It  was  made  by 
Ertel  &  Son,  of  Munich,  and  is  a  seven-foot  achro 
matic,  with  a  clear  aperture  of  5.3  inches.  "  The 
mounting  consists  of  two  granite  piers,  seven  feet 
high,  each  formed  of  a  solid  block  of  that  stone,  let 
down  below  the  floor  and  imbedded  in  a  stone 
foundation  eight  feet  deep,  and  completely  isolated 
from  the  building.  Midway  between  the  piers,  and 
running  north  and  south,  is  the  artificial  horizon,  com. 
posed  of  a  slab  of  granite  ten  feet  long,  nineteen 
inches  deep,  and  thirteen  inches  broad ;  it  rests  on 
the  foundation,  and  is  isolated  from  the  floor,  with 
the  level  of  which  the  top  of  it  is  even,  with  a  space 
all  around  it  of  half  an  inch ;  in  the  middle  of  this 
slab,  and  in  the  nadir  of  the  telescope,  there  is  a 
mortise,  nine  inches  square  and  ten  inches  deep,  in 


OP   THE   NATIONAL   CAPITAL.  415 

which  the  artificial  horizon  is  placed  to  protect  it  from 
the  wind  during  the  adjustment  for  collimation,  or 
the  determination  of  the  error  of  collimation  of  level, 
and  the  adjustment  for  stellar  focus,  vertically  of 
wires,  and  the  other  uses  of  the  collimating  eye-piece." 

THE  GREAT  ASTRONOMICAL  CLOCK, 

or  "  Electro-Chronograph,"  is  placed  in  the  same  room 
with  the  Transit  Instrument,  and  used  in  connection 
with  it  to  denote  sidereal  time.  It  was  invented  by 
Professor  John  Locke,  of  Cincinnati,  and  is  one  of  the 
most  remarkable  instruments  in  the  world.  By  means 
of  an  electrical  battery  in  the  building,  the  movements 
of  this  clock  can  be  repeated  by  telegraph  in  any  city 
or  to^n  in  the  land  to  which  the  wires  extend.  With 
the  wires  connected  with  it,  its  ticks  may  be  heard  in 
any  part  of  the  country,  and  it  will  record  the  time 
so  accurately,  that  an  astronomer  in  Portland  or  New 
Orleans  can  tell  with  exactness  the  time  of  day  by 
this  clock. 

It  also  regulates  the  time  for  the  city. '  There  is  a 
flag-staff  on  top  of  the  dome,  upon  which  a  large  black 
ball  is  hoisted  at  ten  minutes  before  noon  every  day. 
This  is  to  warn  persons  desiring  to  know  the  exact 
time  to  examine  their  watches  and  clocks.  Just  as 
the  clock  records  the  hour  of  twelve,  the  ball  drops, 
and  thus  informs  the  city  that  it  is  high  noon. 

The  Observatory  is  open  to  visitors  daily  from  9 
A.  M.,  until  3  P.  M.  Its  officers  take  pleasure  in  ex 
plaining  its  workings  t-o  those  who  desire  to  learjj 
them,  . 


416  THE    SIGHTS    AND    SECRETS 


XXVI. 
SOCIETY. 

SOCIETY  in  Washington  is  divided  into  many 
classes.  First,  there  is  the  society  proper  of  the  city, 
into  which  are  admitted  the  high  dignitaries  and  their 
families,  residing  at  the  Capital  during  their  official 
terms,  and  the  members  of  the  Diplomatic  Corps  and 
their  families.  Second,  the  heads  of  Bureaus,  and  the 
class  which  constitutes  the  second  grade  of  society  in 
most  cities.  Third,  the  clerks  and  their  families. 
Fourth,  the  usual  lower  class.  The  lines  between 
these  various  classes  are  drawn  with  the  utmost  rigor. 
There  is  but  little  intimacy  between  them,  and  nothing 
but  promotion  to  a  higher  place  under  the  Govern 
ment  can  ensure  a  rise  in  society. 

SOCIETY    BEFORE   THE   WAE. 

Don  Piatt  thus  sketches  the  social  condition  of 
Washington,  previous  to  the  Rebellion  : 

"  No  place  in  the  Union  has  suffered  such  a 
change,  through  the  war,  as  Washington  City.  I 
cannot  say  that  it  is  l  a  sea  change  into  something 
rich  and  strange.'  It  is  certainly  strange,  and  in 
rather  better  circumstances  than  was  the  old  affair. 

"  There  is  a  class  of  people  here,  more  respectable 
than  loyal,  called  the  *  old  families,'  who  lumont  sadly 


OP   THE   NATIONAL   CAPITAL.  417 

the  '  good  old  times.'  I  remember  those  old  times, 
more  jolly  than  good,  when  Washington  City  was  a 
Southern  city,  and  the  social  atmosphere  was  heavy 
with  the  taint  of  Southern  institutions ;  when  it  was 
considered  here  to  be  in  the  lowest  stages  of  degrada 
tion  to  be  an  Abolitionist ;  when  New  England  civili 
zation  was  sneered  at,  as  made  up  of  strong-minded 
women  and  weak-minded  men. 

"  It  was  a  pleasant  sort  of  life,  if  one  would  steer 
clear  of  the  humanities  and  be  a  philosopher  of  the 
Southern  make ;  that  is,  to  have  more  egotism  than 
charity.  It  was  not  a  very  cultivated  condition. 
People  did  not  talk  books,  and  had  no  pretension  to 
artistic  taste  or  scientific  attainments.  We  dealt 
largely  in  politics  and  little  social  chit-chat ;  and  the 
women  were  fair  and  very  attractive,  from  a  certain 
ease  of  manner,  tinged  with  confidential  frankness, 
while  the  men  had  a  certain  stilted  politeness,  a  little 
grotesque  and  amusing  to  outsiders,  but  nevertheless 
very  pleasant. 

"  But  the  beauty  of  it  all  was  that  mere  wealth 
had  little  or  no  influence.  To  be  a  member  of  a  good 
family,  or  to  have  position  officially,  was  all  that  was 
necessary.  A  rich  man  found  himself  here  stranded 
like  a  whale  on  a  sandy  beach.  He  did  not  amount 
to  any  thing.  He  could  not  write  a  letter  or  influence 
a  vote. 

"  Then  the  admiration  felt  and  expressed  for  elo 
quent  efforts  was  beautiful.     Days  before  Henry  Clay 
or  Webster,  or  later,  Pierre  Soule,  was  to  speak,  th£ 
great  fact  was  bruited  abroad,  and  on  the  day  of  the 
27 


•  i3 
418  THE   SIGHTS   AND    SECRETS 

speech  the  galleries  were  crowded  by  fair  women  and 
brave  men,  and  for  weeks  after  the  town  rang  with 
praise. 

"  '  A  statesman,  yes,  sah,  by ,  sah  ;  hasn't  his 

equal  in  the  world,  sah.' 

"  And  the  same  enthusiasm  broke  out  over  the 
belle  of  the  season.  You  heard  uttered  in  bar-rooms 
and  elsewhere  the  earnest  assertion — 

"  '  Know  Miss  Belinda  ?  Magnificent  girl,  sah.  It 
is  acknowledged,  sah,  by  the  best  judges  that  she  is 
the  most  magnificent  creature  in  all  the  South,  sah. 
Yes,  sah,  by ,  sah.' 

"  Now  all  this  is  changed.  The  old  Southern 
ways,  tastes,  and  enthusiasm  are  driven  into  the  keep 
ing  of  the  few  old  families,  where  they  are  cherished 
like  relics  of  a  sacred  past.  New  England  civilization 
has  come  in,  with  short-haired  women  and  long-haired 
men.  "Wealth  is  omnipotent,  and  the  humanities 
drive  about  in  gorgeous  carriages,  and  live  among 
stunning  upholstery.  Washington  is  no  longer  a 
Southern  city.  It  freezes  and  snows  and  storms,  even 
like  a  Northern  town.  We  laugh  at  the  old  families. 
We  are  bored  by  speeches,  and  measure  our  belle  by 
the  depth  of  her  pocket.  I  must  say,  as  an  impartial 
observer,  that  the  Southern  aristocracy  was  a  better 
article  than  this  aristocracy  of  wealth.  I  hate  both, 
but  of  the  two,  give  me  the  first-named. 

"The  last  little  remnant  of  Southern  aristocracy 
burst  out  under  Buchanan.  It  was  led  by  the  Da- 
vises,  Slidells,  Brights,  and  the  venerable  C.  How 
they  used  to  cliae,  and  receive,  and  flirt,  and  law* 


OF    THE   NATIONAL    CAPITAL.  419 

make,  and  gamble  in  those  golden  days  of  tie  '  old 
families.'  The  houses  were  not  so  capacious,  the  turn 
outs  were  not  stunning,  the  upholstery,  save  C.'s,  was 
not  immense.  But  it  was  all  intensely  genteel. 

"  The  last  social  exhibition  made  before  the  evacua 
tion  of  the  city  by  the  South,  previous  to  the  first 
Bull  Run,  was  characteristic,  and  very  amusing.  Old 
C.  had  a  handsome  house,  and  gave  receptions  to 
exhibit  his  upholstery,  which  was,  for  the  time,  a 
wonder.  The  old  gentleman  had  one  fair  daughter  to 
inherit  his  upholstery  and  wealth,  and  this  fair  daugh 
ter  won  the  willing  heart  of  an  attach^  of  the  Spanish 
Legation,  residing  near  the  court  of  his  Excellency, 
James  the  last,  vulgarly  called  '  Old  Pub.  Func.'  But 
the  course  of  true  love  did  not  run  smooth,  for  it  had 
to  run  over  the  paternal  C.,  and  it  was  broken  into 
foamy  rapids  by  the  indignant  old  progenitor,  who 
believed  the  young  Spaniard  did  not  love  his  fair 
daughter  so  much  as  he  did  his  purse.  So  he  made 
the  young  attache,  so  attached  to  his  house,  walk 
Spanish,  and  forbade  his  ever  darkening  the  door  or 
sitting  down  on  the  upholstery  again. 

"  Fearful   that   his  house  might  be  invaded,  for 
love  laughs  at  locksmiths  and  irate  old  fathers,  he 
advised  with  his  circle,  Davis,  Slidell,  Bright  &  Co.,' 
and  was  told  to  put  a  watch  upon  his  premises. 

"  One  day,  not  long  after,  while  the  prudent  pater 
nal  was  taking  dinner  with  his  Slidell,  word  came 
that  the  enemy  had  appeared.  The  old  gentleman 
dropped  his  soup-spoon,  and,  not  waiting  to  remove 
the  napkin  from  his  venerable  chin,  hurried  away, 


420  THE    SIGHTS    AND    SECRETS 

followed  by  all  the  male  attendants  of  the  party 
Arriving  at  the  house,  the  party  found  the  miss  per 
forming  a  complicated  piece  of  music  with  a  noncha 
lant  manner  really  beautiful.  The  search  began  and 
continued  without  result,  and  was  about  to  be  aban 
doned,  when  the  keen-eyed  Bright  saw  the  heel  of  a 
boot  protruding  from  under  the  grand  piano.  The 
heel  was  found  attached  to  a  boot,  the  boot  to  a  leg, 
the  leg  to  an  attache,  the  attach^  attached  to  the  fair 
maiden.  The  heel,  the  boot,  the  leg,  and  the  body 
were,  with  loud  outcries,  curses,  screams,  and  some 
unavailing  resistance,  simultaneously  ejected  from  the 
front  door.  The  Spaniard  was  for  the  last  time  made 
to  walk  Spanish,  and  so  ended  the  little  drama." 

SOCIETY   TO-DAY. 

The  war  changed  every  thing,  and  the  old  aris 
tocracy  of  the  Capital  were  forced  to  give  way  to  the 
sudden  irruption  of  wealth  which  the  jobs  and  con 
tracts  of  the  great  struggle  introduced.  New  York 
was  the  model  which  every  one  tried  to  imitate,  and, 
of  course,  being  without  the  advantages  of  the  Great 
Metropolis,  the  imitation  was  a  very  feeble  one.  Fine 
houses,  flashy  and  showy,  sprang  up  on  all  sides ;  the 
saloons  of  the  city  glittered  with  jewels,  and  rustled 
with  costly  fabrics ;  and  magnificent  equipages  whirled 
through  the  streets  with  a  dash  that  made  the  "  old 
citizens"  fairly  hold  their  breath.  Former  social 
position,  good  birth,  good  breeding,  went  for  nothing. 
Money  became  the  standard  of  social  excellence,  and 
could  be  offset  only  by  official  position. 


Of   THE   NATIONAL    CAPITAL.  421 

It  is  the  same  to-day  that  it  was  during  the  war 
Wealth  and  official  position  carry  every  thing  before 
them,  and  merit,  unsupported  by  either,  stands  in  the 
background. 

Each  class,  as  we  have  said,  excludes  from  its 
intercourse  the  members  of  other  classes.  Wives  of 
Senators  and  high  officials  visit  only  wives  of  other 
Senators  and  high  officials.  The  better  halves  of 
heads  of  Bureaus  or  chiefs  of  division  would  never 
think  of  associating  with  the  better  halves  of  their 
husbands'  subordinates ;  and  so  it  goes,  down  to  the 
servants.  Bridget,  living  in  the  family  of  a  Secretary, 
would  scorn  to  associate  with  Bridget  living  in  the 
family  of  the  chief  clerk  of  her  employer.  Strangers 
arriving  in  the  city  are  recognized  and  treated  accord 
ing  to  their  wealth.  Your  millionaire  is  welcomed 
into  the  "  first  circles,"  while  your  modest,  rising  mer 
chant,  or  professional  man,  must  find  a  lower  level. 

THE   SOCIAL    CODE. 

The  observances  of  society  are  most  rigid.  Each 
grade  has  its  rights,  privileges,  and  immunities  as 
signed  to  it  by  certain  fixed  laws,  which  cannot  be 
violated  without  subjecting  the  offender  to  the  social 
ban.  The  following  is  the  code  : 

The  President's  family  are  recognized  as  the  head 
and  front  of  the  social  fabric.  As  we  have  already 
stated  the  observances  required  of  and  by  them,  in 
the  chapter  relating  to  the  White  House,  we  shall  not 
inflict  upon  the  reader  a  repetition  of  it  here. 

The  Vice-President  is  expected  to  pay  a  formal 


422  THE   SIGHTS   AND    SECRETS 

visit  to  the  President  on  the  meeting  of  Congress , 
but  he  is  entitled  to  the  first  visit  from  all  other  per 
sons,  which  he  may  return  by  card,  or  in  person. 

The  Judges  of  the  Supreme  Court  call  upon  the 
President  and  Vice-President  on  the  annual  meeting 
of  the  Court  in  December,  and  on  New  Year's  Day. 
They  are  entitled  to  the  first  call  from  all  other  per 
sons. 

Members  of  the  Cabinet  call  upon  the  President 
on  the  1st  of  January  and  the  4th  of  July.  They 
are  required  to  pay  the  first  calls,  either  in  person  or 
by  card,  to  the  Vice-President,  Judges  of  the  Supreme 
Court,  Senators,  and  the  Speaker  of  the  House  of 
Representatives  on  the  meeting  of  Congress.  They 
are  entitled  to  the  first  call  from  all  other  persons. 

Senators  call  in  person  upon  the  President  and 
Vice-President  on  the  meeting  of  Congress,  New 
Year's  Day,  and  the  4th  of  July ;  if  Congress  is  in 
session  at  the  last  named  time.  They  also  call  first 
upon  the  Judges  of  the  Supreme  Court,  and  upon 
the  Speaker  of  the  House  of  Representatives,  on  the 
meeting  of  Congress.  They  are  entitled  to  the  first 
call  from  all  other  persons. 

The  Speaker  of  the  House  of  Representatives  calls 
upon  the  President  on  the  meeting  of  Congress,  on 
New  Year's  Day,  and  on  the  4th  of  July,  if  Congress 
is  in  session.  The  first  call  is  due  from  him  to  the 
Vice-President,  and  to  the  Judges  of  the  Supreme 
Court,  but  to  him  from  all  others. 

Members  of  the  House  of  Representatives  call  in 
person  upon  the  President  on  the  meeting  of  Con- 


OF   THE   NATIONAL   CAPITAL.  423 

gress  and  on  New  Year's  Day,  and  by  card  or  in 
person  on  the  4th  of  July,  if  Congress  is  in  sessioa 
They  call  first,  by  card  or  in  person,  upon  the  Vice- 
President,  Judges  of  the  Supreme  Court,  Speaker  of 
the  House,  Senators,  Cabinet  officers,  and  Foreign 
Ministers,  soon  after  the  opening  of  the  session. 

Foreign  Ministers  call  upon  the  President  on  the 
1st  of  January.  They  call  first,  in  person  or  by  card^ 
upon  the  Vice-President,  Cabinet  officers,  Judges  of 
the  Supreme  Court,  and  the  Speaker  of  the  House, 
on  the  first  opportunity  after  presenting  their  creden 
tials  to  the  President.  They  also  make  an  annual  call 
of  ceremony,  by  card  or  in  person,  on  the  above  men 
tioned  officials  soon  after  the  meeting  of  Congress. 
They  are  entitled  to  first  calls  from  all  other  persons. 

The  Judges  of  the  Court  of  Claims  call  in  person 
upon  the  President  on  New  Year's  Day  and  the  4th 
of  July.  They  pay  first  calls  to  Cabinet  officers  and 
Members  of  the  Diplomatic  Corps,  and  call  annually, 
by  card  or  in  person,  upon  the  Vice-President,  Judges 
of  the  Supreme  Court,  Senators,  Speaker  and  Mem 
bers  of  the  House,  soon  after  the  meeting  of  Congress. 

The  intercourse  of  the  other  officers  of  the  Gov 
ernment  is  regulated  by  superiority  of  rank  in  the 
public  service. 

The  intercourse  of  the  families  of  officials  is  regu 
lated  by  the  rules  which  govern  the  officials  them 
selves. 

TITLES. 

Every  body  in  Washington  has  a  title.  If  it  does 
not  legally  belong  to  him,  he  appropriates  it,  and  tliat 


424  THE    SIGHTS    AND    SECRETS 

answers  the  same  purpose.  At  the  hotel  tables,  in 
the  hotel  parlors  and  bar-rooms,  at  the  receptions  of 
the  President  and  other  dignitaries,  everywhere,  and 
on  all  occasions,  the  ear  is  wearied  with  the  incessant 
repetitions  of  "  Senator,"  "  Judge,"  "  Secretary,"  "  Mr. 
Speaker,"  "  Governor,"  "  Marshal,"  "  General,"  "  Cap- 
tain,"  "  Colonel,"  "  Major,"  "  Lieutenant,"  "  Admiral," 
"  Commodore,"  "  Doctor,"  "  Bishop,"  "  Professor,"  <fcc., 
&c.  One  positively  longs  to  see  some  plain,  honest 
individual  who  has  no  handle  to  his  name.  There 
are  few  such  in  Washington,  however;  for  people 
coming  here  find  it  vastly  useful  to  them  to  prefix 
the  aforesaid  handle.  To  say  nothing  of  the  Govern 
ors,  Senators,  Judges,  and  Secretaries,  one  meets  in  a 
single  day  military  titles  enough  to  supply  the  com 
bined  armies  of  the  world — titles,  in  many  instances, 
with  as  much  in  them  as  in  that  of  the  famous  "  Cap 
tain  Jinks,  of  the  Horse  Marines." 

The  women  carry  it  to  excess.  In  high  life  the 
Mrs.  Judges,  Mrs.  Secretaries,  Mrs.  Governors,  Mrs. 
Senators  are  numerous.  They  are  fully  aware  of  the 
importance  of  their  titles,  and  parade  them  upon  all 
occasions.  Indeed,  they  frequently  make  more  use  of 
them  than  do  the  husbands  to  whom  they  legitimately 
belong.  The  man  may  be  content  to  continue  plain 
John  Smith,  but  his  better  half  never  fails  to  declare 
herself  Mrs.  /Senator,  or  Mrs.  /Secretary  Smith,  and  to 
assert  her  dignity  and  rights  accordingly.  You  may 
have  known  her  at  home  as  plain  Mrs.  Smith,  and 
have  been  then  one  of  her  "  most  intimate  "  friends, 
but  you  must  remember,  now,  that  she  has  stepped  a 


OF   THE   NATIONAL    CAPITAL.  425 

peg  "higher,  and  gotten  into  the  female  branch  of  the 
Government,  and  you  must  regulate  your  conduct 
towards  her  according  to  this  knowledge.  Certainly 
it  will  not  be  her  fault  if  you  do  not ;  for  if  you  for 
get  that  there  is  a  difference  between  Mrs.  John  Smith 
of  the  past,  and  Mrs.  Senator  Smith  of  the  present, 
she  will  not  forget  to  remind  you  of  it. 

In  the  good  old  days  of  the  militia,  now  gone  by 
forever,  there  was  a  certain  unsophisticated  "  citizen  " 
of  one  of  the  interior  districts,  who  was  raised  to  the 
grade  of  Corporal  in  his  company.  Very  proud  of 
the  honor  conferred  upon  him,  he  hastened  home  to 
inform  his  wife  of  it.  The  good  woman  shared  his 
satisfaction  intensely,  and  communicated  the  intelli 
gence  to  the  children,  who  were  much  delighted  there 
by.  The  eldest,  after  thinking  the  matter  over  for  a 
few  minutes,  asked  his  mother : 

"  Mother,  shall  we  play  with  the  other  children, 
now  that  we  are  corporals  ?  " 

"  Nonsense,  child,"  said  the  mother,  reprovingly, 
"  this  matter  doesn't  affect  you.  Your  fatlier  and  I 
are  the  only  corporals" 

Like  this  good  woman,  the  wives  of  our  great 
men  claim  their  full  share  in  the  husband's  title.  If 
the  man  is  Mr.  President,  the  wife  is  Mrs.  President 
If  he  is  Mr.  Speaker,  she  is  Mrs.  Speaker. 

AN   INSIDE   VIEW    OF   SOCIETY. 

"  If  you  would  see  the  thorny  road  of  a  public 
man's  wife,"  says  a  writer  well  versed  in  the  mysteries 
of  Washington  society,  "  look  at  Mrs.  Andrew  John- 


426  THE    SIGHTS    AND    SECRETS 

son.  She  taught  her  husband  how  to  read.  He  went 
off  immediately  and  bought  a  copy  of  the  Constitu 
tion,  and  kept  reading  it  until  he  was  impeached 
under  it.  It  made  him  every  thing,  from  Alderman 
up,  and  now  his  house  begins  to  wear  that  hospitable 
look  that  all  houses  have  when  we  feel  that  moving 
day  approaches.  I  dare  say  that  Mrs.  Johnson, 
pleased  as  she  must  have  been  in  her  ambition  to  see 
the  father  of  her  children  ascending  into  history, 
would  have  been  a  happier  lady  had  her  husband 
adhered  to  his  goose.  She  is  an  invalid,  who  has 
been  seen  by  few  during  all  these  eminent  years,  but 
in  her  seclusion  she  must  still  read  and  feel  most 
poignantly  all  the  bitter  taunts  of  speech  and  para 
graph  flung  at  her  husband,  while  in  his  public  ab 
sorptions  she  no  doubt  misses  much  of  that  endear 
ment  so  sweet  and  grateful  to  the  sick.  Of  her  chil 
dren,  one  daughter  is  a  widow,  the  other  the  wife  of 
a  Senator,  but  not  such  a  Senator  as  you  conceive  for 
your  daughter's  protector ;  while  her  son,  who  might 
in  private  life  have  been  a  fireside  ornament,  is  un 
equal  to  his  dazzling  situation,  and  a  source  of  dis- 
consolation  all  the  time.  What  happiness  can  there 
be,  think  you,  in  this  mingling  of  so  much  honor  and 
misery — to  be  unpitied  because  your  rank  is  so  en 
viable,  while  in  your  wife's  and  mother's  heart  you 
need  more  sympathy  than  the  servant  woman  in  your 
great  pantry.  A  lady  informs  me  of  an  interview 
held  with  Mrs.  Johnson  by  her  friend  during  the  im 
peachment  trial. 

"  '  But  for  the  humiliation  and  Mr.  Johnson's  feel« 


OF   THE   NATIONAL   CAPITAL.  427 

ings,'  she  said,  *  I  wish  they  would  send  us  Lack  to 
Tennessee — if  it  were  possible,  give  us  our  poverty 
and  peace  again,  so  that  we  might  learn  how  to  live 
for  our  children  and  ourselves.' 

"  To  a  sympathetic  remark,  Mrs.  Johnson  said 
further : 

" '  I  have  not  seen  a  happy  moment  since  I  came 
to  this  house.  I  get  none  of  the  society  incident  to 
it,  and  desire  none.  Every  body  is  busy  with  public 
duties.  My  daughters  dislike  all  these  receptiona 
and  displays,  and  only  consent  to  them  at  a  sacrifice. 
If  life  were  to  go  over  again,  I  sometimes  think  I 
should  never  marry  a  public  man.' 

"  The  wives  of  Senators  and  Congressmen  do  not 
generally  come  to  Washington  during  the  session. 
The  pay  of  a  Member  is  only  five  thousand  dollars  a 
year  and  his  mileage,  and  this  will  not  suffice  to  keep 
up  the  establishments,  for  the  Member  must  maintain 
his  state  among  his  constituents  all  the  while.  If  the 
wife  and  family  come  here,  they  must  relinquish  their 
excellent  home  for  the  miserable  imprisonment  of  a 
hotel,  or  the  associations  of  a  boarding-house ;  and  the 
few  who  can  afford  parallel  private  establishments  are 
run  down  with  company,  made  conveniences  of  by 
constituents,  and  expected  to  rival  each  other's  parties 
and  routs.  The  children  of  such  Congressmen  must 
either  separate  from  their  parents,  or  accept  the  in 
different  schools  and  associations  of  an  indefinite  and 
uncertain  city,  where  carpet-bagging  is  the  rule  and 
birthright  the  exception,  and  the  wife  loses  her  neigh 
bors,  loses  her  private  rights,  is  dragged  into  the 


428  THE    SIGHTS   AND    SECRETS 

* 

newspapers,  and  seduced  to  command  her  husband's 
Influence  for  adventurers  and  schemers.  Heaven  must 
be  a  place  of  insupportable  scandal,  if  the  rato  in 
creases  straight  on  from  high  life  in  Washington,  or 

O  O  O  ' 

anywhere  at  public  court,  indeed ;  for  St.  James'  and 
the  Tuileries  are  yet  more  newsy  and  uncharitable. 
Ir  this  depot  of  schemers  the  good  name  of  a  beau 
tiful  woman  is  made  the  jest  of  every  euchre-party, 
and  bandied  in  faro-banks  and  committee-rooms. 
Criticism  is  busy  with  her  dress,  her  person,  and  her 
graces.  If  she  avoid  society,  it  is  imputed  to  her 
boorishness ;  if  she  be  cheerful  in  it,  she  is  said  to  be 
frivolous  or  heartless.  What  higher  purposes  can  she 
subserve  at  the  capital  than  at  home  among  her  hus 
band's  constituents  ?  I  think  I  hear  your  lady  read 
ers  say  :  '  She  can  exert  an  influence.'  Perhaps  !  but 
this  town  is  freckled  into  reformers  of  every  sort,  and 
the  sort  of  questions  that  woman  lays  to  heart  are 
invariably  the  follies  of  legislation.  I  never  knew  a 
woman  to  exert  an  l  influence '  here,  who  did  not  be 
come  common,  descend  to  lobbying,  lose  her  credit, 
and  increase  the  skepticism  of  men.  Emotional  sub 
jects,  such  as  ladies  take  to  heart,  are  infinitesimal 
fractions  of  legislation,  which  is,  in  the  main,  dull, 
sturdy,  statistical  man's  work,  like  the  sawing  and 
measuring  of  lumber.  The  surest  way  to  be  a  nui 
sance  here  and  cost  the  country  dignity  and  money, 
is  to  be  a  '  gusher,'  breaking  out  in  sympathy  with 
the  struggling  Cretans,  resolving  to  break  the  yoke 
of  Brigham  Young's  poor  wives,  sprinkling  public 
documents  with  tears.  The  whole  of  that  business, 


OF   THE   NATIONAL   CAPITAL.  429 

by  common  consent,  has  been  referred  to  John  A, 
Bingham,  who  has  trained  his  voice  for  it. 

"  I  do  not  write  this  in  a  spirit  of  reprehension  of 
what  is  sympathetic,  gentle,  and  womanly  in  public 
legislation.  Nor  am  I  expressing  an  opinion  upon  the 
woman's  suffrage  question — which  I  still  believe,  if 
ever  successful,  would  turn  public  business  into  drivel, 
and  make  the  Capitol  gush.  Doubtless  Providence 
has  higher  intentions  for  woman  than  making  her  the 
mother  of  man — though  a  good  deal  of  mechanism 
seems  to  have  been  wasted  upon  that  exclusive  de 
partment — and  among  these  is  of  course  the  right  to 
rule  herself,  quote  the  Declaration  of  Independence, 
and  speak  her  mind  and  draw  salary  for  it. 

"  Under  that  ambiguous  term  of  '  society,'  there 
are  many  ladies  here  who  are  presumed  to  lead  it. 
Mrs.  Sprague,  Mrs.  Chandler,  and  Mrs.  Morgan  are 
among  them,  all  three  taking  rank  from  their  wealth 
and  establishments ;  the  former  also  from  her  public 
graces  and  natural  social  accomplishments.  I  do  not 
know  that  any  of  these  ladies,  if  poor,  would  be  dis 
tinguished  as  '  Queens  of  Society,'  which  is,  I  believe, 
the  term  used  in  fashion -books  and  annuals.  Mrs. 
Sprague  is  a  very  slender  and  delicate  lady,  without 
the  repose  of  the  Vere  de  Veres,  being  rather  a  nerv 
ous  and  nail-biting  beauty,  capable  of  strong  affection 
and  jealousy,  I  should  say,  and  upheld  in  her  labors 
to  please  by  the  strong  ambition  she  inherits  from  her 
father.  I  can  imagine  her,  poor,  holding  the  place 
of  a  public-school  teacher — a  position  where  I  am 
warranted  in  supposing  her,  because  of  her  father's 


430  THE    SIGHTS    AND    SECRETS 

life-long  interest  in  Democratic  education.  Well !  aa 
a  school-teacher,  she  would  charm  the  directors,  be 
quoted  as  a  very  interesting  young  girl,  receive  bou 
quets  from  the  girls  on  New  Year's  day,  and  be  asked 
a  good  many  questions  as  to  what  dresses  would  be 
becoming,  and  whether  blue  eyes  in  a  man  were  a 
sign  of  a  deceitful  nature.  Finally,  the  youngest  and 
richest  directors  would  fall  in  love  with  her.  Every 
body  would  have  sympathy  for  her  and  congratulate 
her.  She  would  step  into  society  where  she  is  so 
naturally,  that  afterward  people  would  say :  There  is 
no  queen  about  her  at  all.  She  is  just  the  same  girl 
she  was  when  she  taught  school ! 

"  To  be  a  queen,  you  know,  one  must  strut  a  little, 
swing  a  '  train ' — or  trail,  which  is  it  ? — and  look 
scornfully  out  of  the  front  window  upon  peanut-boys 
and  shoe-blacks.  Mrs.  Sprague  is  not  a  queen,  I  am 
warranted  in  saying.  Mrs.  Chandler  is  a  little  more 
1  on '  that  order,  holding  herself  very  straight  and 
statuesque.  Mrs.  Morgan  is  merely  a  banker's  wife, 
who  rides  beside  her  husband  in  a  respectable 
brougham,  looks  as  if  born  to  the  use  of  silver  plate 
and  Sevres  china,  and  she  gives  you  a  feeling,  when 
she  looks  at  you,  as  if  you  would  greatly  like  to  have 
her  for  an  aunt. 

"  I  hope  all  this  matter  is  legitimate  ;  for  my  only 
object,  as  I  said  before,  is  to  persuade  ladies  to  stay  at 
home  and  keep  their  *  influence '  for  their  nephews. 

"  The  greater  your  husband  is,  the  poorer  house 
he  will  live  in,  the  less  you  will  see  of  him,  and  the 
more  he  will  be  asked  out  to  stag-dinners.  Webster 


OP   THE   NATIONAL    CAPITAL.  431 

lived  in  a  little  two-story  house  here,  next  door  to  the 
Unitarian  Church,  that  a  tinner  has  bought  since  and 
raised  a  story.  He  could  go  a  story  better  than  the 
god-like  Daniel !  Clay  died  in  the  poisonous  purlieus 
of  the  National  Hotel,  and  Calhoun  died  in  a  cheap 
boarding-house.  You  must  marry  a  mutton-headed 
Senator,  like  Squobbs,  the  nigger-driver,  Appleking, 
the  speculator  in  Osage  beans,  or  Tallow,  the  yard 
stick.  Then  your  husband  can  go  where  he  likes, 
but  you  will  be  the  Senator.  When  Tom  Benton 
died,  there  was  a  mortgage  on  his  house  a  little  bigger 
than  the  roof  of  it,  and  his  prettiest  daughter  ran 
away  with  a  barrack  captain  who  parted  his  hair  in 
the  middle.  If  you  want  fame,  you  '  go  '  for  it ;  but 
if  you  prefer  position,  follow  the  other  end  of  the 
finger-board." 

THE   KECEPTIONS. 

It  is  the  custom  for  the  wives  of  the  higher  offi 
cials  residing  in  the  city  to  hold  receptions  at  stated 
times  during  the  session  of  Congress,  generally  once  a 
week.  Don  Piatt  draws  the  following  capital  pic 
ture  of  these  receptions,  and  their  attendant  customs : 

"  It  is  the  etiquette  in  Washington,  soon  as  you 
arrive,  to  empty  your  trunk,  and  hire  a. hack  to  drive 
around  and  call  on  people.  It  is  not  necessary  to 
know  them,  or  to  be  known.  If  you  have  a  paper 
collar  and  a  pair  of  kids,  the  official  people  are  glad 
to  soe  you.  They  advertise  to  this  effect  in  the 
Chronicle  and  Intelligencer.  Tine,  these  notices,  like 
the  coffin-maker's  '  please  to  ring  the  bell,'  immortal? 


432  THE    SIGHTS    AND    SECRETS 

ized  by  Coleman,  implies  something  more  than  a  com 
pliance  with  the  request.  When  the  morning  journal 
gays  that  '  Mrs.  B.  will  be  please^  to  see  her  friends 
on  Wednesdays,  between  the  hours  of  12  and  4  P.  M.,' 
it  does  not  mean  that  every  body  friendly  to  Mrs.  B., 
in  the  abstract,  shall  rush  in,  shake  her  hand,  and 
drink  her  punch  or  coffee.  It  really  means  one 
known  to  fame,  or  known  to  Mrs.  B.  Now,  were  my 
learned  friend,  David  Quinn,  or  the  deep-read  lawyer, 
Mr.  Meyers,  to  arrive  in  Washington,  it  would  be 
expect^,  they  would  hack  themselves  and  call  on  the 
female  officials. 

"  But  if  you  have  any  doubt  as  to  your  social 
status  in  this  respect,  call  upon  your  immediate  Rep 
resentative  in  the  House,  and  say  that  you  want  to  be 
presented  to  all  the  officials'  wives  in  Washington, 
and  such  other  ladies  as  your  immediate  Representa 
tive  may  think  of.  If  you  order  your  Representative 
to  turn  summersaults,  or  to  stand  on  his  head,  '  he's 
got  to  do  it ' — or  die  trying. 

"  My  friend  Scutim  tells  me  all  this.  Scutim  is  a 
weakly  young  man  whose  ambition  is  immense.  He 
seeks  to  be  considered  a  fast  man  about  town.  Peo 
ple  are  to  believe  that  Scutim  has  no  principles  to 
speak  of;  is  a  cold,  unfeeling  wretch,  a  heavy  swell 
who  has  seen  great  depth  of  social  wickedness,  and  is 
now  blase.  The  fact  is,  Scutim  is  not  a  fast  man 
about  town.  It  is  all  make-believe.  He  hasn't  the 
constitution  for  that  sort  of  thing.  One  glass  of 
whiskey  will  upset  him  in  a  minute.  His  man  tells 
me,  privately,  that  Scutim  reads  a  chapter  in  the 


OP   THE   NATIONAL    CAPITAL.  433 

Bible,  and  says  his  prayers  every  night.  Scutim 
would  be  filled  with  shame  and  confusion  were  that 
to  get  out  on  him. 

"  To  see  my  friend  in  his  tight  pantaloons,  bob- 
tailed  coat,  high -heeled  boots  that  look  as  if  a  horse 
could  trot  under  them,  head  and  tail  up,  his  plug  hat 
set  gracefully  upon  his  blonde  head,  with  whiskers  a 
la  Anglais,  and  little  stick  under  his  arm — to  see  him 
in  this  rig,  slowly  swinging  along  Pennsylvania  Ave 
nue,  is  to  realize  how  a  man  appears  when  he  reaches 
the  last  stages  of  modern  civilization  and  English  im 
becility. 

"  This  friend  of  mine  procured  a  hack — a  resplend 
ent  hack — a  hack  that  looked  as  if  we  owned  a  dozen 
like  it,  all  private  carriages — and  drove  around  among 
the  official  people,  and  some  others  Scutim  had  a  right 
to  introduce  us  to.  I  was  glad  to  have  this  glass  of 
fashion  and  mould  of  form  with  me,  for  I  propose  to 
profit  by  his  criticisms,  and  transmit  to  your  lady 
readers  the  precise  get-up  of  the  ladies  receiving. 

"  '  We  will  first  go  to  Mr.  Randall's,'  cried  IScutim. 
4  By  Jove,  you  will  see  a  lady — yes,  sir,  a  lady — perfect 
in  dress,  beautiful  in  person,  and  fascinating  in  manner.1 

"  And  so  my  friend  continued,  for  quantity,  until 
we  drew  up  in  front  of  the  handsome  residence.  We 
found  Scutim  had  not  exaggerated.  The  fair  woman  is 
all  that  he  described  her,  and  something  more.  And 
he  wrote  down  for  me  that  she  '  wore  a  pearl-colored 
satin  dress,  long  train,  trimmed  with  point  lace.'  And 
that  Miss  Upton,  who  assisted  in  the  reception,  had  a 
frock  of  '  pink  silk,  trimmed  with  point  lace,' 
28 


434  THE    SIGHTS    AND    SECRETS 

u  This  description  is  as  dry  and  uninteresting  as  the 
technicalities  of  botany  in  describing  a  rose.  The 
easy  grace  with  which  this  lady  received  and  enter 
tairied,  beggars  description.  I  find  her  photograph  on 
my  mind  to-day  as  the  beau  ideal  of  an  American 
woman. 

u  From  the  Postmaster-General's  we  drove  to  Mr. 
Secretary  Browning's,  and  found  the  handsome  house 
crowded,  and  '  the  air  redolent  of  Illinois  and  Ken- 
tucky,'  if  you  know  what  that  means — I  am  sure  I 
don't.  Scutim  said  so,  and  added  that  'Mrs.  Browning 
had  on  brocade  silk,  severe  in  its  absence  of  trimming;' 
that  '  Miss  Browning  wore  a  black  silk,  low  in  the 
neck,  and  trimmed  with  folds  of  green  satin.'  I  found 
a  Miss  O'Bannon,  of  Covington,  Kentucky,  very 
charming,  and  she  had  good  clothes  on  I'll  be  affidavit- 
ed,  but  I  forgot  to  ask  Scutim  what  they  were. 

"  We  found  the  feminine  part  of  the  Treasury 
doing  the  polite,  assisted  by  the  Misses  Bailey,  daugh 
ters  of  Admiral  Bailey,  and  wearing — Mrs.  McCul- 
loch,  I  mean — 4  a  green  moire  antique,  trimmed  with 
folds  of  white  satin,  and  set  off  by  jewelry  of  amethyst 
and  pearl.' 

"  I  was  struck  with  the  interior  of  the  residence 
of  General  Schofield,  Secretary  of  War.  It  presented, 
unusually  so,  evidences  of  refinement  and  good  taste 
— I  have  lost  Scutim's  dress-notes,  and  can't  tell  for 
the  life  of  me  what  the  lady  had  on.  It  was  some 
thing  exceedingly  nice,  I'll  be  bound — but  it  has  gone 
glimmering. 

"  W«  §njsjiecl  ouj  official  calls  at  the  Yice-Presi- 


OF  THE  NATIONAL  CAPITAL.  435 

dent's-elect,  Mr.  Speaker  Colfax.  And  my  notes  tell 
me  that  '  Mrs.  C.  wore  a  handsome  green  silk,  high  in 
the  neck,  and  trimmed  with  white  satin  fringe,  while 
Mrs.  Matthews  wore  a  wine-colored  (don't  see  how 
Skiler  could  permit  that),  and  Miss  Carrie  a  pink-and 
white  striped  silk.' 

"  The  great  majority  of  these  callers  were  ladies, 
gotten  up  regardless  of  expense  or  appearance.  It  was 
a  continuous  stream  of  rustling  silks.  No  one  remained 
over  five  minutes,  and  ninety-nine  out  of  the  hundred 
made  some  remark  about  the  weather.  The  poor 
ladies  receiving  had  to  stand  four  weary  hours  and 
hear  the  weather  complimented.  Is  it  not  possible 
for  the  ingenious  American  mind  to  invent  some  other 
phrase  for  conversation  than  this  everlasting  one  of 
the  weather  ?  And  one  can't  vary  it.  I  said  to  a 
lady,  '  We  have  a  first-class  article  of  sunshine  to-day,' 
and  Scutim  rebuked  me.  He  said  it  was  believed  I 
had  taken  too  much  punch.  It  is  in  society  as  it  is  in 
religion — all  dull  things  are  considered  good. 

"  From  the  mass  of  cards  left,  the  fair  hostess 
selects  a  certain  number  to  invite  to  her  evening  re 
ceptions,  when  there  is  more  wine  and  less  talk  about 
the  weather.  And  this  is  all  an  administration  does 
for  society  in  Washington." 

RESIDENCES    OF   CELEBRITIES. 

The  residence  of  the  President  we  have  already 
described. 

Mr.  Ben  "Wade,  the  acting  Vice-President,  boards 


436  THE   SIGHTS   AND    SECRETS 

at  the  Washington  House,  where  he  maintains  a  cozy 
establishment. 

Mr.  Col  fax.  the  present  Speaker  of  the  House  and 
the  incoming  Vice-President,  resides  at  No.  7  Lafayette 
Square,  16£  Street,  almost  opposite  the  White  House 
It  is  a  plain,  stuccoed  house,  painted  white,  with  green 
blinds.  A  high  flight  of  stairs  leads  up  to  the  door 
from  the  street,  and  the  building  looks  simple  and 
modest  in  the  midst  of  its  handsome  neighbors.  Yet 
it  has  an  interesting  history  attached  to  it.  It  is  quite 
an  old  house,  and  has  sheltered  many  a  man  whose 
name  is  inseparably  bound  up  with  the  history  of  the 
country.  A  few  years  before  the  war  it  was  the  resi 
dence  of  Daniel  E.  Sickles,  then  a  Member  of  Con 
gress  from  the  city  of  New  York.  It  was  in  this 
house  that  the  intrigue  between  Mrs.  Sickles  and 
Philip  Barton  Key  was  begun.  From  the  upper 
chambers,  which  look  out  upon  the  handsome  park, 
the  guilty  wife  watched  for  the  signals  of  her  lover ; 
and  it  was  just  across  the  enclosure,  at  the  foot  of 
those  noble  old  trees  which  shade  15£  Street,  that 
the  victim  lay,  helpless,  pleading  with  his  murderer 
for  his  life ;  a  plea  which  was  answered  only  by  the 
swift  bullet  of  the  assassin. 

Secretary  Seward  lives  in  a  large,  plain  red  brick 
house  on  15  £  Street,  fronting  Lafayette  Square,  and  it 
was  almost  before  his  door  that  Key  was  murdered. 
Since  the  attempt  upon  his  own  life,  the  Secretary  has 
kept  a  sentinel  on  guard  before  his  door,  night  and 
day. 

H  Street  North  contains  a  munber  of  the  celebrities, 


OF   THE  NATIONAL   CAPITAL.  437 

It  forms  the  northern  "boundary  of  Lafayette  Square 
and  is  one  of  the  handsomest  portions  of  the  city. 
Mr.  McCulloch,  Secretary  of  the  Treasury,  resides  at 
No.  306  on  this  street ;  General  Schofield,  Secre 
tary  of  War,  at  No.  320  ;  Mr.  Welles,  Secretary  of  the 
Navy,  at  No.  312  ;  Attorney-General  Evarts  at  No 
356  ;  Senator  Chandler  at  No.  357  ;  Senator  Harlan 
at  No.  304 ;  Senator  Pomeroy  at  No.  318 ;  and  Sena 
tor  Sumner  at  the  corner  of  H  Street  and  Vermont 
Avenue. 

Secretary  Browning  resides  at  339  I  Street ;  and 
Mr.  Randall,  the  Postmaster-General,  at  the  corner  of 
12th  and  K  Streets. 

Senator  Morgan's  handsome  house  is  one  of  the 
ornaments  of  I  Street,  and  is  situated  on  the  corner  of 
15th  Street.  Senator  Sprague  has  a  fine  mansion  on 
the  northwest  corner  of  Sixth  Street  West  and  E 
Street. 


438  THE   SIGHtS    AND    SECRETS 


XXVII. 

THE  OLD  CAPITOL. 

OPPOSITE  the  northeast  angle  of  the  Capitol  Park, 
you  will  see  a  row  of  handsome  dwelling-houses  orna 
mented  with  Mansard  roofs.  They  are  the"  property 
of  Mr.  Brown,  the  Sergeant-at-Arms  of  the  Senate, 
and,  until  a  short  time  ago,  constituted  a  single  build 
ing,  known  as  the  Old  Capitol.  It  was  erected  about 
the  year  1812,  and  in  December,  1815,  passed  into  the 
hands  of  the  Government.  The  Capitol  having  taen 
destroyed  by  the  British  in  August,  1814,  Congress 
moved  into  this  building  immediately  after  it  was 
leased  by  the  Government,  and  held  its  sessions  in  it 
until  the  completion  of  the  Capitol  in  18*25.  From 
this  circumstance  it  gained  the  name  of  the  Old  Capi 
tol 

It  was  a  dingy  red-brick  edifice  of  the  old  Eng 
lish  style,  and  very  much  like  one  of  the  primitive 
Quaker  buildings  one  sees  in  the  city  oi  Philadelphia. 
It  had  a  g'oomy,  forbidding  appearance,  and  resembled 
somewhat  the  o  d  Carroll  Mansion,  which  stands  a  lit 
tle  to  the  left  of  it.  It  was  used  for  various  purposes 
after  bung  abandoned  by  Congress  in  1825,  and  fell 
very  much  out  of  repair.  At  the  commencement  of 
the  war  it  w<u»  converted  into  a  prison  for  the  de- 


Oif   THE    NATIONAL    CAPITAL. 

tention  and  punishment  of  state  and  military  pris 
oners. 

Prisons  are  never  pleasant,  and  the  Old  Capitol 
was  not  one  of  the  pleasantest.  It  was  the  writer's 
fortune  once  or  twice  to  enter  it  to  minister  to  the 
wants  of  a  friend  who  had  been  captured  by  Sheridan 
in  one  of  his  raiHs,  and  who  was  "  stopping  "  at  the 
Old  Capitol  on  his  way  to  Fort  Delaware,  and  he  can 
testify  that  a  gloomier,  more  terrible-looking  prison 
did  not  exist  in  the  land.  The  effvct  of  a  confinement 
here  must  have  been  very  depressing,  and  it  is  no  won 
der  that  rmmy  fierce  sous  of  Dixie  were  glad  enough, 
after  a  few  weeks1  experience  of  it,  to  take  the  oath 
and  get  out. 

The  prison  was  in  charge  of  Colonel  Wood,  who 
was  the  Superintendent.  He  was  a  man  of  great 
firmness  and  decision  of  character,  and  somewhat 
stern  in  his  manner,  but,  judging  from  our  own 
observation  of  him,  we  believe  he  was,  although  strict 
to  the  letter  in  the  discharge  of  his  duty,  kind  and 
humane  in  his  treatment  of  prisoners.  They  naturally 
regarded  him  as  a  cruel  tyrant,  and  have  not  spared 
him  in  their  accounts  of  the  prison  ;  but  we  found 
him  both  willing  and  anxious  to  do  all  he  could  to 
lighten  the  captivity  of  the  gentleman  in  whom  we 
were  interested,  and  as  we  were  both  strangers  to 
him,  we  cannot  suppose  that  he  extended  any  unusual 
favor  to  us. 

Yet,  whether  the  discipline  was  cruel  or  humane, 
it  was  a  great  pity  that  the  building  was  put  to  such 
uses  during  the  war.  It  had  become  historical  by  rea- 


THE    SIGHTS    AND    SECRETS 

*>n  of  tie  many  great  deeds  that  bad  occurred  within 
its  walls,  and  it  was  unfortunate  that  its  proud  his 
tory  should  he  stained  with  a  four-years'  prison  record. 
Doubtless  there  were  many  persons  confined  there 
who  richly  deserved  their  punishment,  but  (now  that 
one  may  say  these  things  without  fear  of  injuring  the 
cause  of  the  country  by  retailing  the  faults  of  the 
Government)  there  can  be  no  doubt  that  the  old 
prison  held  many  an  innocent  victim  of  political  hos 
tility  and  official  malice.  Many  a  good  man,  whose 
most  earnest  prayers  were  for  the  success  of  the  Union 
arms,  was  immured  within  these  walls  in  consequence 
of  having  offended  some  high  official.  We  all  know 
that  there  were  many  grave  faults  committed  by  the 
Administration  during  the  Rebellion,  not  the  least  of 
which  was  its  readiness  to  disregard  the  liberty  and 
personal  rights  of  the  citizen*  of  the  Union.  Stanton 
was  an  able  and  true  man,  and  a  good  Secretary,  but 
he  was  a  despot  also,  and  too  hasty  to  arrest  men 
upon  very  slight  proof;  and  Mr.  Seward  was  too  fond 
of  tinkling  his  "little  bell."  Ex-Chief  Detective 
Baker  sent,  perhaps,  the  majority  of  prisoners  to  this 
institution.  He  had  reduced  blackmailing  and  intimi 
dation  to  a  science,  and  those  who  would  not  comply 
with  his  unlawful  demands  were  moderately  sure  of 
a  residence  in  this  place.  These  arbitrary  acts  are  a 
blot  upon  the  country,  which  ought  never  to  have 
been  cast  upon  it. 

Now  that  the  old  building  has  disappeared,  how 
ever,  and  been  changed  so  that  its  longest  inmate 
would  not  know  it,  let  us  hope  that  the  darker  pages 


OF  THE   NATIONAL   CAPITAL.  441 

of  its  history  will  be  forgotten,  or  remembered  only 
as  a  warning  to  cherish  and  guard  well  those  sacred 
principles  of  personal  freedom,  which  are  the  very 
foundation  of  our  glorious  system  of  government. 


442  THE    SIGHTS    AND    SECRETS 


XXVIIL 
HOTELS  AND  BOARDING  HOUSES. 

IN  addition  to  the  regular  population  of  the  city, 
there  are  about  six  or  seven  thousand  officials  in  the 
employ  of  the  Government  temporarily  sojourning  in 
Washington  for  the  period  of  their  official  service,  the 
majority  of  whom  are  not  able  to  undertake  the  ex 
pense  of  keeping  up  their  own  establishments.  Be 
sides  these,  every  winter  brings  hosts  of  Congressmen, 
contractors,  lobbyists,  agents  of  all  kinds,  and  thou 
sands  of  visitors  who  have  no  idea  of  remaining  in  the 
city  longer  than  their  business  will  oblige  them  to  do 
so.  All  these  must  be  provided  with  temporary  ac 
commodations,  and,  as  a  consequence,  the  hotels  are 
filled,  and  thousands  are  obliged  to  seek  lodgings  and 
meals  elsewhere. 

THE    HOTELS 

of  the  city  are  Willard's,  the  National,  the  Metropoli 
tan  (formerly  Brown's),  the  United  State*,  the  Claren 
don,  and  the  St.  Charles  Hotel,  and  the  EUnt,  the 
Kirkwood,  the  Washington,  and  the  Avenue  Houses. 
These  are  the  principal  public  houses,  but  there  are 
also  a  score  or  more  parading  the  word  "  Hotel "  on 
their  fronts  in  large  letters,  which  must  be  seen  to  be 
appreciated. 


OF  THE  NATIONAL  CAPITAL.          443 

The  hotels  are  managed  upon  a  plan  similar  to 
that  of  the  majority  of  the  first-class  houses  of  the 
land,  and  their  rates  of  board  are  the  same  as  those 
charged  by  the  best  New  York  hotels.  They  claim 
to  be  equal  in  comfort  and  style  to  any  in  the  land, 
but  a  very  brief  experience  will  convince  any  unprej 
udiced  person  that  they  are  vastly  inferior  to  the  best 
hotels  of  our  large  cities.  With  every  advantage  in 
the  way  of  good  markets,  the  table  they  set  is  poor ; 
the  attendance  is  indifferent ;  the  rooms  are  small, 
common,  and  often  dirty ;  and  the  furniture  old-fash 
ioned,  and  often  well  occupied. 

Many  of  the  higher  officials  and  Members  of  Con 
gress  board  at  the  hotels.  The  clerks  are  not  able  to 
afford  such  "  magnificence,"  and  you  never  see  them 
here,  unless  it  may  be  in  the  bar-room.  At  the  break 
fast-table  of  any  of  the  principal  houses  you  may  see 
a  goodly  row  of  legislative  faces,  some  of  which  do 
not  show  over  well  for  the  work  of  the  past  night. 
The  conversation  is  generally  political.  Nobody 
thinks  or  talks  of  any  thing  else. 

During  the  greater  part  of  the  day  the  hotels  have 
a  silent,  deserted  air,  but  early  in  the  morning  and 
after  the  close  of  the  daily  sessions  of  Congress  and 
the  labors  of  the  Departments,  they  fill  up  rapidly. 
The  halls,  sitting-rooms,  and  parlors  are  crowded  to 
excess  with  a  noisy,  boisterous  crowd,  all  talking  at 
the  same  time,  and  producing  a  very  Babel  of  sounds. 
The  air  is  hazy  with  tobacco  smoke,  and  the  floors  are 
slippery  with  tobacco  juice.  Governors,  Senators, 
Members  of  the  House,  clerks,  contractors,  lobbyists, 


444  THE   SIGHTS    AND    SECRETS 

members  of  the  rings,  citizens,  and  loafers  are  mingled 
in  fine  democratic  confusion,  and  the  only  peaceful 
man  in  the  place  is  the  inevitable  card  writer,  who  is 
working  steadily  and  silently  at  his  little  table  in  the 
glare  of  his  St.  Germain  lamp. 

Up-stairs,  the  scene  is  changed.  The  parlors  and 
halls  on  the  first  floor  are  brilliantly  lighted.  Kichly 
dressed  and  sometimes  beautiful  women,  the  wives 
and  daughters  of  the  men  below,  hold  their  court 
here.  They  are  here  for  the  season  with  their  hus 
bands,  fathers,  or  other  relatives,  and  the  long  even 
ings,  when  there  are  no  receptions  on  hand,  hang 
heavily  over  them.  They  resort  to  a  thousand-and- 
one  ways  of  dissipating  the  blues.  A  favorite  mode 
of  doing  this,  is  to  get  up  a  "  bop  "  in  the  hotel  par 
lors,  which  is  sure  to  draw  enough  of  the  other  sex  to 
make  it  a  success. 

These  fair  dames  are  great  politicians,  and  never 
let  slip  an  opportunity  to  advance  the  cause  of  the 
official  or  Member  to  whose  family  they  belong.  They 
catch  the  infection  as  soon  as  they  reach  the  Capital, 
and  the  disease  lasts  until  they  leave  it. 

BOARDING-HOUSES. 

A  stroll  through  the  streets  of  Washington  is  very 
apt  to  induce  the  belief  that  the  city  contains  very 
few  really  private  residences,  for  almost  every  house 
has  affixed  to  it  a  sign  or  a  written  card  announcing 

that  boarders  are  taken  there.  These  houses  may  be 
-.  •  i  i  .  ^ 

divided  into  two  classes :  regular  boarding-houses,  and 

private  houses  into  which  boarders  are  received. 


OF   THE   NATIONAL   CAPITAL.  445 

Full  board  ranges  in  price  from  $5  to  $25  per 
week.  Rooms  only,  are  rented  for  from  $3  to  $10 
per  week.  Many  of  the  Department  officials,  and 
some  of  the  Members  of  Congress,  merely  rent  their 
rooms,  and  take  their  meals  at  restaurants,  of  which 
there  are  all  kinds  in  the  city. 

Boarding-house  life  is  not  pleasant  anywhere.  In 
Washington  it  is  simply  abominable.  The  fare  is 
worse  than  that  provided  at  the  majority  of  such 
places  in  the  country,  and  the  rooms  are  scantily  fur 
nished  and  uncomfortable,  if  not  dirty.  Even  in  the 
best  houses  there  is  a  careless,  slipshod  way  of  doing 
things,  which  is  exceedingly  unpleasant  to  persons  ac 
customed  to  the  neat  and  orderly  system  of  the  white- 
labor  States.  Negro  servants  are  the  general  rule 
here,  and  the  few  white  ones  in  the  city  are  decidedly 
the  most  indifferent  of  their  class. 

In  the  private  families  you  are  "  made  to  feel  at 
home,"  and  treated  to  all  the  confidences  and  scenes 
incidental  to  all  households.  The  landlady  patronizes 
you  in  the  most  motherly  way,  and  the  children  re 
gard  you  as  a  brother,  and  take  the  most  brotherly 
liberties  with  yourself  and  your  property,  The 
"  young  ladies  "  are  devoted  to  you,  and  expect  you 
to  take  them  around,  and  spend  your  spare  cash  on 
them  in  the  most  liberal  manner.  Altogether,  you 
wish  you  were  not  made  so  much  at  home,  and  be 
come  decidedly  averse  to  being  treated  as  a  member 
of  the  family. 

In  the  regular  boarding  house  you  find  yourself 
the  subject  of  the  gossip  of  all  the  other  inmates,  and 


445  THE    SIGHTS    AND    SECRETS 

your  peace  of  mind,  if  you  are  at  all  sensitive,  is  de« 
stroyed  by  the  scandal  which  is  soon  set  afloat  about 
you.  You  meet  with  sundry  women,  boarding  in  the 
same  establishment,  who  have  no  visible  protectors, 
and  often  no  visible  means  of  support,  and  sometimes 
in  the  effort  to  be  civil  to  them,  you  compromise 
yourself  in  a  manner  you  little  dream  of  at  the  outset. 

Your  accommodations  are  not  such  as  you  could 
desire.  Indeed,  you  pay  the  highest  possible  price  for 
the  greatest  possible  discomfort,  and  if  you  venture 
to  remonstrate  at  all,  however  mildly,  you  are  told  by 
your  irate  landlady  that  you  are  too  hard  to  please. 
The  first  men  in  the  land,  she  will  tell  you,  have 
boarded  with  her,  and  have  never  complained  of  her 
accommodations.  You  will  find  her  eloquent  on  this 
subject,  and  you  will  be  glad  to  hold  your  tongue  in 
future.  Change  your  quarters,  and  you  will  fare  no 
better.  Mrs.  A  and  Mrs.  B  have  the  same  system. 
Both  consider  boarders  their  legitimate  prey,  and  both 
make  as  much  out  of  them  as  possible. 

In  all  seriousness,  boarding  in  Washington  is  very 
unpleasant.  The  houses  are  mostly  old  and  uncom 
fortable,  the  table  is  poorly  provided,  and  the  attend 
ance  is  miserable.  Besides  this,  there  are  a  thousand- 
and-one  discomforts  which  one  can  learn  only  by  ex 
perience,  and  which  cause  him  to  hail  with  unfeigned 
pleasure  the  day  which  sends  him  away  from  the  city 


OF   THE    NATIONAL    CAPITAL.  447 


XXIX.  ; 

TIIE  CONGRESSIONAL  CEMETERY. 

THIS  beautiful  cemetery  covers  an  area  of  nearly 
twenty  acres,  and  is  located  upon  the  high  ground 
immediately  overlooking  the  "  Anacostia,"  or  Eastern 
branch  of  the  Potomac.  It  is  the  property  of  one  of 
the  Episcopal  churches  of  the  city,  by  which  it  is  kept 
in  order. 

It  is  called  the  "  Congressional  Cemetery,"  because 
when  a  Member  of  Congress  dies  during  the  term  for 
which  he  was  elected,  his  memory  is  perpetuated  by 
the  erection  of  a  plain  cenotaph  in  these  grounds. 
There  are  at  present  about  one  hundred  and  fifty  of 
these  memorial  stones  in  the  cemetery — one  for  each 
member  who  has  died  during  his  term  of  office,  since 
the  Capitol  was  located  at  Washington. 

There  is  also  a  vault  for  the  reception  of  the  re 
mains  of  public  men,  which  are  placed  here  until  they 
can  be  removed.  The  bodies  of  General  Taylor  and 
Mr.  Calhoun  rested  here  for  a  few  days  after  their 
decease.  It  is  a  very  plain  structure,  and  is  situated 
near  the  centre  of  the  grounds. 

There  are  a  number  of  interesting  monuments  to 
"be  seen,  The  following  are  some  of  the  inscriptions ; 


448  THE   SIGHTS   AND    SECRETS 

"  Sacred  to  the  memory  of  PHILIP  PENDLETON  BARBOUR, 
associate-justice  of  the  Supreme  Court  of  the  United  States, 
who  was  bom  in  Orange  County,  Virginia,  on  the  25th  of  May 
1783,  intermarried  with  Frances  Todd  Johnson,  on  the  4th  of 
October  1804,  and  died  at  Washington  city  on  the  24th  of  Feb 
ruary  1841." 

"  This  monument  is  erected  by  order  of  his  majesty  Fred 
erick  William  III.,  King  of  Prussia,  to  the  memory  of  his  resi 
dent  minister  in  the  United  States,  the  Chevalier  FREDERICK 
GREHUM,  who  departed  this  life  on  the  1st  of  December,  1823, 
in  the  53rd  year  of  bis  age." 

"  Sacred  to  the  memory  of  Gen.  JACOB  BROWN.  He  was 
born  in  Bucks  co.,  Pennsylvania,  on  the  9th  of  May  1775,  and 
died  at  the  city  of  Washington,  commanding  general  of  the 
army,  on  the  24th  of  February,  1828. 

"  Let  him  who  e'er  in  after  days 
Shall  view  this  monument  of  praise, 
For  honor  heave  the  patriot  sigh, 
And  for  his  country  learn  to  die." 


"  JOSEPH  LOVELL,  late  surgeon-general  of  the  army  of  the 
United  States,  born  in  Boston,  Massachusetts,  Dec.  22,  1788; 
died  in  the  city  of  Washington,  October  17,  183$." 


u  PusH-MA-TA-HA,  a  Choctaw  chief  lies  here.  This  monu 
ment  to  his  memory  is  erected  by  his  brother  chiefs,  who  were 
associated  with  him  in  a  delegation  from  their  nation,  in  the 
year  1824,  to  the  general  government  of  the  United  States. 
He  died  in  Washington,  on  the  24th  of  December,  1824,  of  the 
croup,  in  the  60th  year  of  his  age.  Push-ma-ta-ha  was  a  war 
rior  of  great  distinction.  He  was  wise  in  council,  eloquent  in 
an  extraordinary  degree,  and  on  all  occasions,  and  under  all  cir- 
pumstances,  the  white  marts  friend,  Among  his  last  words  were 


OF   THE   NATIONAL    CAPITAL.  449 

the  following :  *  When  I  am  gone  let  the  big  guns  be  fired  over 
me:  " 


"  Here  lie  the  remains  of  TOBIAS  LEAR.  He  was  early  dis 
tinguished  as  the  private  secretary  and  familiar  friend  of  the 
illustrious  Washington  ;  and  after  having  served  his  country 
with  dignity,  zeal,  and  fidelity,  in  many  honorable  stations,  died 
accountant  of  the  war  department,  llth  October,  1816,  aged  54. 
His  desolate  widow  and  mourning  son  have  erected  this  monu 
ment,  to  mark  the  place  of  his  abode  in  the  city  of  silence." 


"  The  tomb  of  ELBRIDGE  GERRY,  Vice  President  of  the 
United  States,  who  died  suddenly  in  this  city,  on  his  way  to  the 
capitol  as  president  of  the  Senate,  November  23d,  1814,  aged 
70  ;  thus  fulfilling  his  own  memorable  injunction,  '  it  is  the  duty 
of  every  citizen,  though  he  may  have  but  one  day  to  live,  to 
devote  that  day  to  the  good  of  his  country.' " 


"  To  the  memory  of  GEORGE  CLINTON.  He  was  born  in  the 
state  of  New  York,  on  the  26th  July,  1739,  and  died  at  the  city 
of  Washington  on  the  20th  of  April,  1811,  in  the  73d  year  of 
his  age.  He  was  a  soldier  and  statesman  of  the  revolution. 
Eminent  in  council,  distinguished  in  war,  he  filled  with  unex 
ampled  usefulness,  purity,  and  ability,  among  many  other  high 
offices,  those  of  governor  of  his  native  state,  and  Vice  President 
of  the  United  States.  While  he  lived,  his  virtue,  wisdom,  and 
valor,  were  the  pride,  the  ornament,  and  security  of  his  country  ; 
and  when  he  died,  he  left  an  illustrious  example  of  a  well  spent 
lile,  worthy  of  all  imitation." 


Besides  the  above  are  the  graves  of  William  Wirt, 
Major-General    McComb,  who    immediately  preceded 
General  Scott  in  the  chief  command  of  the  army, 
29 


450  THE    SIGHTS    AND    SECRETS 

General  Gibson,  General  Archibald  Henderson,  Com 
modore  Isaac  Channcey,  Abel  P.  Upshur,  of  Virginia, 
formerly  Secretary  of  State,  and  Ex-Mayors  Towers 
and  Maury,  of  Washington  City. 


OP   THE   NATIONAL    CAPITAL.  451 


XXX. 

PLACES  OF  AMUSEMENT. 

THERE  are  two  theatres  in  Washington,  the  Na 
tional  Theatre,  and  WaWs  Opera  Houxe.  Ford"1* 
Theatre  was  formerly  the  principal  temple  of  the 
drama  in  the  city,  and  was  a  handsome  and  well  con 
ducted  establishment,  but  the  Government  very  prop 
erly  closed  it  after  the  terrible  tragedy  which  occurred 
in  it  in  1865,  and  the  theatres  we  have  mentioned 
constitute  the  sole  dependence  of  the  Washingtonians 
for  histrionic  amusements. 

Both  of  these  places  are  old-fashioned,  flashy,  and 
dirty.  They  would  rank  as  second-class  establish 
ments  in  other  cities,  and  contrast  strangely  with  the 
audiences  they  sometimes  contain.  Performances  are 
given  during  the  winter  only,  and  the  establishments 
are  managed  on  the  "  Star  "  system.  Generally  a  very 
fair  business  is  done  during  the  season,  for  the  city  is 
full  of  strangers  and  others  with  a  plenty  of  spare 
time,  who  gladly  avail  themselves  of  the  amusement 
thus  offered  them. 

The  acting  is  scarcely  above  the  average,  except 
when  some  travelling  company  visits  the  city.  Actors 
who  could  not  earn  a  decent  living  in  our  larger  cities 
flourish  in  Washington,  and  furnish  food  for  the  dra- 


452  THE   SIGHTS   AND    SECRETS 

matic  criticisms  of  the  "  grave  and  reverend  seigniors" 
of  the  Government. 

Once  or  twice  during  the  winter  a  brief  opera 
season  is  inaugurated,  and  is  well  supported.  The 
Washingtonians  are  dear  lovers  of  good  music,  and 
profess  to  be  keen  critics  of  such  performances.  Cer 
tain  it  is,  that  they  come  out  in  goodly  numbers  to 
hear  singers  seeking  their  patronage,  but  we  have 
heard  them  applaud  lustily  and  even  encore  perform 
ances  which  a  really  cultivated  audience  would  receive 
with  a  forbearing  silence,  to  say  the  least. 

Besides  the  theatres,  there  are  one  or  two  fine  halls 
in  the  city,  used  for  concerts,  lectures,  and  exhibitions, 
which  are  well  patronized  during  the  winter  season, 
the  majority  of  the  audiences  being  made  up  of  stran 
gers. 

THE   CANTERBURIES. 

Canterburies  and  concert  halls  abound  also.  They 
are  as  low  and  disgusting  as  such  places  in  our  large 
cities  usually  are,  and  are  quite  as  well  patronized. 
They  are  great  favorites  with  the  Department  Clerks, 
who  constitute  the  "  great  men  "  of  such  places,  and, 
alas  that  it  should  be  so,  you  may  generally  see  high 
officials  in  these  polluted  halls.  The  performances  are 
simply  disgusting,  oftentimes  brutal.  The  company 
is  flashy,  and  largely  made  up  of  thieves  and  street 
walkers.  The  police  have  several  times  made  descents 
upon  these  places,  and  arrested  both  proprietors  and 
guests,  but  the  evil  continues.  Men  are  drugged  by 
the  confederates  of  the  keepers  of  these  places,  rob- 


OF   THE   NATIONAL   CAPITAL. 


453 


bed,  and  maltreated,  and  sometimes  murdered.  De 
cency,  law,  and  humanity  are  nightly  outraged  here, 
but  the  authorities  continue  to  tolerate  the  places. 
During  the  war  they  flourished  to  a  fearful  extent, 
and  many  unsophisticated  "  boys  in  blue "  from  the 
rural  districts  were  lured  into  them,  drugged,  and 
robbed.  The  military  authorities  tried  to  suppress 
them,  but  it  is  said  that  the  officer  charged  with  the 
duty  of  doing  so  was  bribed  by  the  keepers,  and  being 
of  easy  virtue  himself,  licensed  and  protected  those 
which  paid  him  for  so  doing,  but  remorselessly  closed 
all  that  refused  to  submit  to  his  black-mailing  system. 


454  THE   SIGHTS    AND    SECRETS 


XXXI. 

FORD'S  THEATRE. 

10th  Street  West,  between  E  and  F  Streets 
North,  there  is  a  plain  stuccoed  building,  which  a  few 
years  ago  was  suddenly  thrown  into  painful  prominence 
in  the  history  of  the  country.  At  the  time  of  its  erec 
tion  it  was  hoped  that  it  would  become  the  best  and 
most  popular  theatre  in  the  city,  but  no  one  dreamed 
that  it  would  ever  be  the  scene  of  such  a  terrible 
tragedy  as  that  which  occurred  within  its  walls.  It 
was  built  and  conducted  by  John  T.  Ford,  Esq.,  a  well 
known  and  popular  manager,  from  whom  it  derived  its 
name. 

On  the  night  of  the  14th  of  April,  1865,  President 
Lincoln  was  assassinated  by  John  Wilkes  Booth, 
while  witnessing  a  performance  in  this  theatre.  He 
was  conveyed  from  the  box  in  which  he  was  shot,  to 
a  dwelling-house  on  the  opposite  side  of  the  street, 
where  he  died  at  twenty-two  minutes  past  seven 
o'clock  the  next  morning. 

The  theatre  was  immediately  closed  by  the  Gov 
ernment,  as  it  was  felt  that  the  place  was  henceforth 
too  sacred  to  be  put  to  its  former  uses.  The  action 
of  the  Government  was  endorsed  by  the  entire  coun 
try,  and,  in  accordance  with  the  national  wishes,  Con 
gress  purchased  the  building  from  Mr.  Ford,  and  re- 


OF   THE   NATIONAL    CAPITAL.  455 

modelled  it  for  the  use  of  the  Government.  It  has 
been  rende.red  fire-proof,  and  the  interior  has  been 
thrown  into  a  large  square  hall,  with  a  gallery  run 
ning  around  the  upper  part.  It  was  formerly  used  aa 
a  receptacle  for  the  captured  archives  of  the  Rebel 
Government,  but  is  now 

THE   ABMY   MEDICAL   MUSEUM 

of  the  United  States.  Its  contents  are  exceedingly 
interesting  to  professional  men,  who  will  be  amply 
repaid  for  a  visit  to  it. 

The  following  description  of  the  theatre,  as  it  was 
arranged  at  the  time  of  the  assassination,  is  interest 
ing: 

"  Ford's  theatre,  now  converted  into  a  museum  of 
war  relics,  is  situated  on  Tenth  Street,  just  above  E 
Street ;  a  large  edifice,  built  of  brick,  and  plain  in 
appearance.  The  four  upper  boxes  were  the  boxes  of 
the  theatre,  and  very  elegant  and  spacious. 

"  The  box  which  the  President  occupied,  and  which 
was  known  as  *  The  President's  Box,'  consisted  of  the 
two  upper  boxes  on  the  right-hand  side  of  the  house 
as  you  face  the  stage,  thrown  into  one.  It  was  fitted 
up  with  great  elegance  and  taste.  The  curtains  were 
of  fine  lace  and  buff  satin,  the  paper  dark  and  figured, 
the  carpet  Turkey,  the  seats  velvet,  and  the  exterior 
ornamentations  were  lit  up  with  a  chaste  chandelier 
suspended  from  the  outside.  A  winding  staircase 
led  up  to  the  lobbies  which  conducted  to'  the  box, 
and  unless  the  arrangements  were  stringent,  no  de 
cently-dressed  person  would  find  much  difficulty, 


456  THE    SIGHTS    AND    SECRETS 

probably,  in  entering,  after  being  opened  for  the  in- 
gress  of  the  party.  The  house  would  probably  hold 
between  two  and  three  thousand  people. 

"  There  were  two  alleys  at  Ford's  Theatre.  One 
led  from  the  stage  along  the  east  side  of  the  theatre, 
between  the  theatre  and  a  refreshment  saloon,  and  so 
out  to  Tenth  Street.  The  alley  was  neatly  paved,  and 
boarded  and  papered  on  both  sides.  The  entry  to  it 
from  the  stage  was  through  a  glass  door,  and  the  exit 
from  it  on  to  Tenth  Street  through  a  wooden  one. 

"  The  other  passage-way  led  from  the  back  of  the 
theatre  to  a  small  alley  which  communicated  with 
Ninth  and  other  streets,  and  conducted  to  a  livery- 
stable  locality.  It  was  in  this  alley  that  the  horse  of 
the  murderer  was  kept  waiting. 

"  The  Tenth  Street  door  would  have  been  too 
public,  and  escape,  even  temporary,  a  matter  of  im 
possibility.  But  the  escape  by  the  alley  leading  back 
from  the  stage  was  comparatively  safe. 

"  There  were  two  doors  there,  one  used  for  the 
egress  and  ingress  of  the  actors,  and  the  other  devoted 
to  the  accommodation  of  scenery  and  machinery.  It 
was  through  the  smaller  one  that  the  assassin  made 
his  exit." 


OP   THE  NATIONAL   CAPITAL.  457 


XXXII 

THE  SOCIAL  EVIL. 

IT  is  commonly  supposed  throughout  the  country 
that  Washington  City  is  the  most  immoral  place  in 
the  land.  That  there  is  a  frightful  amount  of  im 
morality  prevalent  in  the  city  is  true,  but  it  is  not  fair 
to  charge  it  to  the  citizens.  The  residents  proper  of 
the  Capital  will  compare  favorably  with  those  of  any 
other  city  in  the  land  of  similar  size  and  population. 
They  are  neither  better  nor  worse,  and  it  is  unjust  to 
regard  them  as  the  most  vicious  of  the  nation. 

There  is,  in  addition  to  the  citizens  proper,  an 
average  floating  population  during  the  sessions  of 
Congress,  of  from  ten  to  twenty-five  thousand  persons. 
During  the  war  the  floating  population  was  fully  one 
hundred  thousand.  These  persons  represent  all  classes 
of  society,  and  have  a  vast  amount  of  leisure  time  on 
their  hands.  As  they  are  thrown  together  with  a 
comparative  freedom  from  restraint,  and  in  considera 
ble  numbers,  the  usual  consequences  of  such  promis 
cuous  intercourse  follow.  Intrigues  are  formed  and 
carried  on,  and  a  vast  amount  of  immorality  stares  an 
observer  in  the  face,  all  of  which  is  laid  to  the  charge 
of  Washington.  Undoubtedly  the  WTashingtonians 
are  guilty  of  a  fair  share  of  it,  but  the  sum  total 


458  THE    SIGHTS    AND    SECRETS 

would  not  be  so  great  were  not  the  city  so  ranch  over 
run  with  idlers  from  other  parts  of  the  country. 

HOUSES    OF   ILL-FAME 

are  numerous,  and  are  scattered  all  through  the  city. 
With  rare  exceptions,  however,  they  have  not  yet 
ventured  to  intrude  into  respectable  neighborhoods. 
The  inhabitants,  with  all  their  faults,  are  more  sensi 
tive  upon  this  point  than  those  of  the  majority  of  our 
large  cities. 

A  few  of  these  houses  are  superbly  furnished,  and 
are  conducted  in  the  most  magnificent  style.  The 
women  are  either  young,  or  in  the  prime  of  life,  and 
are  frequently  beautiful  and  accomplished.  They 
come  from  all  parts  of  the  country,  and  rarely  remain 
in  the  city  after  the  adjournment  of  Congress.  New 
York,  Boston,  Philadelphia,  Chicago,  and  New  Orleans 
furnish  the  greater  portion  of  them.  To  the  credit  of 
Washington,  be  it  said,  the  city  furnishes  very  few. 
These  women  well  know  that  crowds  of  strangers 
collect  in  the  Federal  City  every  winter,  and  that  they 
will  have  an  abundant  means  of  making  money  dur 
ing  the  season.  This  brings  them  here  in  great  num 
bers,  but  when  Congress  adjourns  they  seek  some 
more  profitable  part  of  the  country.  They  rarely 
return  more  than  two  seasons  in  succession,  for  their 
fearful  life  soon  breaks  down  their  beauty,  and  robs 
them  of  their  attractions.  Then  they  go  down  to 
those  awful  depths  of  sin  and  suffering  from  which 
death  offers  them  the  only  means  of  escape.  They 
cannot  avoid  their  fate,  try  as  they  may.  Let  a  woni- 


OF   THE  NATIONAL   CAPITAL.  459 

an  once  enter  upon  such  a  life,  and  she  is  sure  to  die 
in  a  few  years  in  want  and  squalor,  however  splendid 
ly  she  may  begin  her  career. 

THE    GUESTS. 

It  must  not  be  supposed  that  the  persons  who 
visit  these  places  are,  like  the  women  they  seek,  avow 
edly  the  most  abandoned  of  the  community.  On  the 
contrary,  the  majority  of  the  "  patrons  "  of  the  better 
class  houses  are  men  of  nominal  respectability,  men 
high  in  public  life,  officers  of  the  army  and  navy, 
Governors  of  States,  lawyers,  doctors,  and  the  very 
best  class  of  the  city  population.  Many  of  them  are 
husbands  and  fathers,  whose  wives  and  families,  at 
home,  hundreds  of  miles  away,  are  in  blissful  ignor 
ance  of  their  conduct.  Some  come  here  under  the 
influence  of  liquor,  others  in  "  cool  blood,"  and  with  a 
full  knowledge  of  the  enormity  of  their  conduct. 
They  come  openly,  too,  and  exchange  greetings  with 
each  other  in  these  dens  of  infamy  with  the  coolnesa 
and  assurance  of  "  old  hands ; "  and  then  they  go 
away  and  talk  eloquently  about  morality  and  virtue, 
and  cry  down,  oh  most  lustily,  the  poor  creatures  in 
whose  company  they  passed  the  previous  night,  and 
whose  degradation  they  have  deepened  as  far  as  lay 
in  their  power.  How  pure  and  lofty  are  the  institu 
tions  upheld  by  such  men !  There  is  a  woman  in 
Washington,  the  proprietress  of  one  of  these  houses, 
who  boasts  that  "  it  would  be  impossible  to  carry  on 
the  Government  without  her  aid." 

During  the  war,  Washington  was  literally  overrun 


460  THE    SIGHTS    AND    SECRETS 

with  such  houses.  Says  Colonel  Baker,  in  his  His 
tory  of  the  Secret  Service  • 

"  The  horses  of  staff  officers,  the  ambulance,  and 
orderlies,  could  be  seen  during  the  night,  and  after  the 
sun  had  risen,  even,  waiting  before  the  kennels  of  vice, 
for  those  who  were  within  them. 

u  The  scenes  which  transpired  at  the  midnight 
hour,  in  these  dens  of  corruption,  beggar  language. 

"  At  an  hour  appointed,  and  with  a  concerted 
plan,  similar  in  all  its  details  to  that  which  was 
sprung  upon  the  gamblers,  with  my  force  I  made  a 
raid  upon  the  disreputable  houses. 

"  The  moment  came,  the  signal  was  given,  doors 
were  opened,  the  windows  raised,  and  a  scene  of  con 
fusion  and  comico-tragic  nature  followed,  which  must 
have  been  witnessed  to  have  been  appreciated.  Faces 
quite  covered  to  avoid  recognition,  gas  turned  off,  and 
a  general  stampede  of  gentlemen  sporting  martial 
emblems,  were  some  of  the  incidents  attending  the 
onset  upon  the  intrenchments  of  vice  in  the  midnight 
quiet  of  the  nation's  capital.  Between  sixty  and 
seventy  officers  and  men  were  arrested  and  locked  up 
in  the  guard-house,  for  reflection  upon  their  suddenly 
interrupted  debauchery." 

Besides  these  better-class  houses,  there  are  a  num 
ber  of  a  character  ranging  from  a  bagnio  to  a  dance- 
house,  which  are  viler,  more  utterly  wretched  and 
horrible  than  any  similar  dens  in  any  city  of  the 
country. 

ASSIGNATION    HOUSES 

as  such,  are  not  common  in  the  city.    There  is  in  fact 


OP  THE  NATIONAL  CAPITAL.         461 

very  little  need  of  them,  as  several  of  the  lower  class 
hotels  are  used  for  the  purpose.  One  or  two  of  these 
houses  are  so  well  known  that  no  virtuous  woman 
ever  dreams  of  crossing  their  thresholds,  and  to  be 
seen  in  one  of  them  is  considered  good  proof  of  im 
morality.  The  boarding-houses  of  the  city  are  known 
to  be  put  to  such  uses.  Women  living  in  them,  form 
intrigues  with  men  also  boarding  in  the  house,  or 
with  strangers,  and  receive  their  visits  in  their  own 
rooms.  If  the  affair  is  conducted  quietly,  and  no 
remarks  are  made  by  the  other  boarders,  the  proprie 
tor  of  the  house  passes  it  over  in  silence.  The  hotels 
are  used  in  the  same  way.  The  proprietors  are  men 
of  philosophy,  and  as  long  as  their  guests  conduct 
their  meetings  with  a  proper  degree  of  secresy,  say 
nothing,  but  upon  the  first  breath  of  scandal,  or  the 
least  impropriety  in  public,  out  the  offenders  go — to 
repeat  the  affair  at  some  other  house. 

It  would  be  idle  to  enter  more  into  the  details  of 
this  subject.  There  is  but  one  system  upon  which 
vice  of  this  kind  is  carried  on,  the  world  over,  and  we 
have  no  desire  to  dwell  upon  it  longer. 


462  THE    SIGHTS    AND    SECRETS 


XXXIIL 

THE  ARSENAL. 

THE  "Washington  Arsenal  of  the  United  States 
stands  at  the  extreme  southern  end  of  the  city,  on 
Greenleaf  s  Point,  at  the  mouth  of  the  Eastern  branch 
of  the  Potomac.  It  commands  a  fine  view  of  Wash 
ington,  Georgetown,  Alexandria,  the  Potomac  River, 
and  the  Virginia  shore,  and  as  the  channels  of  both 
rivers  lie  close  to  the  shore,  possesses  every  facility  for 
shipping  and  receiving  military  stores. 

The  buildings  and  grounds  are  quite  extensive, 
the  establishment  constituting  one  of  the  principal 
arsenals  of  Construction  in  the  United  States.  The 
workshops  are  large,  and  are  provided  with  improved 
machinery  of  all  kinds  for  manufacturing  ordnance 
stores  and  equipments,  large  quantities  of  which  are 
prepared  and  kept  here  for  distribution  among  the 
various  posts  of  the  army. 

The  Model-Office  contains  an  interesting  collection 
of  models  or  patterns  of  the  various  weapons  used  in 
our  own  service,  and  in  the  armies  of  many  European 
nations. 

The  Gun-lot  contains  a  fine  array  of  heavy  ord 
nance  and  balls  for  the  armaments  of  forts  and  land 
batteries ;  and  in  front  of  the  old  Arsenal  Square  are 


OP   THE   NATIONAL    CAPITAL.  463 

many  trophies  won  from  the  enemies  of  the  Republic 
in  battle. 

The  Arsenal  is  interesting  not  only  because  of  the 
work  done  there,  but  because  it  contains 

THE    GRAVE    OF   JOHN   WILKES    BOOTH. 

"  In  order  to  establish  the  identity  of  the  body 
of  the  assassin  beyond  all  question,"  says  Colonel 
Baker,  in  his  History  of  the  Secret  Service,  "  the  Sec 
retary  of  War  directed  me  to  summon  a  number  of 
witnesses  residing  in  the  city  of  Washington,  who 
had  previously  known  the  murderer.  Some  two 
years  previous  to  the  assassination  of  the  President, 
Booth  had  had  a  tumor  or  carbuncle  cut  from  his 
neck  by  a  surgeon.  On  inquiry,  I  ascertained  that 
Dr.  May,  a  well-known  and  very  skilful  surgeon  of 
twenty-five  years'  practice  in  Washington,  had  per 
formed  the  operation. 

"  Accordingly,  I  called  on  Dr.  May,  who,  before 
seeing  the  body,  minutely  described  the  exact  locality 
of  the  tumor,  the  nature  and  date  of  the  operation, 
<fec.  After  being  sworn,  he  pointed  to  the  scar  on 
the  neck,  which  was  then  plainly  visible.  Five  other 
witnesses  were  examined,  all  of  whom  had  known 
the  assassin  intimately  for  years.  The  various  news 
paper  accounts  referring  to  the  mutilation  of  Booth's 
body  are  equally  absurd.  Surgeon-General  Barnes, 
U.  S.  A.,  was  on  board  the  gunboat  where  the  post 
mortem  examination  was  held,  with  his  assistants. 
General  Barnes  cut  from  Booth's  neck  about  two 
inches  of  the  spinal  column  through  which  the  ball 


464  THE    SIGHTS    AND    SECRETS 

Lad  passed ;  this  piece  of  bone,  which  is  now  on  ex 
hibition  in  the  Government  Medical  Museum  in 
Washington,  is  the  only  relic  of  the  assassin's  body 
above  ground,  and  this  is  the  only  mutilation  of  the 
remains  that  ever  occurred.  Immediately  after  the 
conclusion  of  the  examination,  the  Secretary  of  War 
gave  orders  as  to  the  disposition  of  the  body,  which 
had  become  very  offensive,  owing  to  the  condition  in 
which  it  had  remained  after  death ;  the  leg,  broken 
in  jumping  from  the  box  to  the  stage,  was  much  dis 
colored  and  swollen,  the  blood  from  the  wound  hav 
ing  saturated  his  underclothing.  With  the  assistance 
of  Lieut.  L.  B.  Baker,  I  took  the  body  from  the  gun 
boat  direct  to  the  old  Penitentiary  adjoining  the 
Arsenal  grounds.  The  building  had  not  been  used 
as  a  prison  for  some  years  previously.  The  Ordnance 
Department  had  filled  the  ground-floor  cells  with  fixed 
ammunition — one  of  the  largest  of  these  cells  was 
selected  as  the  burial-place  of  Booth — the  ammuni 
tion  was  removed,  a  large  flat  stone  lifted  from  its 
place,  and  a  rude  grave  dug ;  the  body  was  dropped 
in,  the  grave  filled  up,  the  stone  replaced,  and  there 
rests  to  this  hour  all  that  remained  of  John  Wilkes 
Booth." 

THE    OLD   PENITENTIARY 

was  situated  in  the  Arsenal  Grounds,  and  for  soi-ie 
years  has  been  used  as  a  storehouse  for  ordnan  :e 
materials.  It  is  now  being  demolished,  and  in  its 
place  will  be  erected  the  new  quarters  for  the  offict  ra 
and  men  on  duty  at  the  Arsenal. 


OF   THE   NATIONAL   CAPITAL.  465 

It  was  in  this  building  that  the  trials  of  the 
Assassination  Conspirators  took  place,  and  in  the 
yard,  which  was  formerly  enclosed  with  a  high  brick 
wall,  Mrs.  Surratt,  Atzeroth,  Harold,  and  Payne  were 
hanged  on  the  9th  of  July,  1865,  for  complicity  in 
the  murder  of  President  Lincoln,  and  for  the  attempt 
upon  the  life  of  Secretary  Seward. 

These  dark  and  terrible  memories  will  long  make 
the  spot  an  object  of  interest  to  the  curious — an  in 
terest  which  will  probably  increase  rather  than  dimm 
ish  with  the  lapse  of  time. 


30 


466  THE   SIGHTS    AND    SECRETS 


XXXIV. 

THE  WASHINGTON    MONUMENT. 

WHEN  the  War  of  the  Revolution  closed  in  the  tri 
umph  of  the  States,  it  was  proposed  to  erect  a  bronze 
statue  of  GEORGE  WASHINGTON,  as  a  memorial  of 
the  great  services  he  had  rendered  the  country.  Con 
gress  authorized  the  American  Minister  to  France  to 
order  it,  but  a  lack  of  funds  prevented  the  execution 
of  the  scheme.  In  1799,  Congress  passed  joint  reso 
lutions  ordering  that  a  marble  monument  to  Wash 
ington  "  be  erected  by  the  United  States,"  and  in 
1800  the  House  of  Representatives  appropriated  one 
hundred  thousand  dollars  for  the  purpose  of  "  creating 
a  mausoleum."  Again,  in  1801,  the  House  passed  a 
bill  appropriating  two  hundred  thousand  dollars  for 
this  purpose,  but  it  was  so  late  in  the  season,  that  the 
amendments  which  were  tacked  on  to  the  bill  in  the 
Senate  did  not  receive  the  concurrence  of  the  House. 
The  subject  was  then  permitted  to  remain  unnoticed 
until  1816,  when  it  was  revived  by  Mr.  Huger,  of 
South  Carolina ;  but  the  resolutions  introduced  by 
him  were  indefinitely  postponed. 

In  the  same  year  the  State  of  Virginia  made  an 
effort-  to  secure  the  remains  of  Washington  for  burial 
at  Richmond,  but  the  request  of  the  Legislature  was 
refused  by  Bushrod  Washington.  In  February,  1832, 


KATIONAL    WASHINGTON    MONUMENT. 


OF   THE    NATIONAL    CAPITAL.  4C>7 

the  two  Houses  of  Congress  passed  a  joint  resolution 
asking  that  the  remains  of  Washington  and  his  wife 
might  be  deposited  in  the  Capitol.  The  State  of 
Virginia,  however,  unwilling  to  lose  the  precious 
trust  confided  to  it,  interposed,  and  requested  the 
proprietor  of  Mount  Vernon  "  not  to  consent  to  the 
removal  of  the  remains  of  General  Washington." 
Mr.  John  A.  Washington,  the  owner  of  the  estate, 
complied  with  the  wishes  of  Virginia,  and  declined  to 
grant  the  request  of  Congress. 

This  matter  being  definitely  settled,  it  was  pro 
posed  to  build  a  monument,  and  in  1833  the  first 
determined  effort  to  erect  a  National  Washington 
Monument  was  begun.  The  "  Washington  Monu 
ment  Society "  was  established,  with  Chief  Justice 
Marshall  as  its  President.  The  organization  went  to 
work  with  energy,  and  at  length  succeeded  in  inaugu 
rating  the  measure.  On  the  4th  of  July,  1848,  the 
corner-stone  of  the  present  structure  was  laidj  with 
appropriate  ceremonies,  in  the  presence  of  the  Presi 
dent  and  Vice-President  of  the  United  States,  and 
both  Houses  of  Congress,  together  with  a  vast  con 
course  of  persons.  The  address  was  delivered  by  the 
Hon.  Robert  C.  Winthrop,  of  Boston,  then  Speaker 
of  the  House  of  Representatives. 

"  The  stone,  weighing  twelve  tons,  had  been  pre 
pared  with  a  cavity  lined  with  zinc,  into  which  the 
inscription  plate  was  placed,  together  with  about  one 
hundred  other  articles,  consisting  of  books,  portraits, 
maps,  newspapers,  coins  and  medals,  Masonic  records, 
and  the  design  of  the  monument.  The  Grand  Master 


468  THE   SIGHTS    AND    SECRETS 

wore  the  apron  and  used  the  gavel  with  which  Wash- 
jigton  laid  the  comer-stone  of  the  Capitol.  The  in 
scription  upon  the  plate  was  as  follows  : 


JULY,  1776, 

'DECLARATION  OF  INDEPENDENCE  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES  OF 

AMERICA. 

'4TH   JULY,    1848, 

'Tnis  CORKER-STONE  LAID,  OF  A  MONUMENT,  BY  THE  PEOPLE 
OF  THE  UNITED  STATES,  TO  GEORGE  WASHINGTON.' 

"  The  names  of  the  officers  of  the  society  were 
also  inscribed  on  the  plate.  The  ceremony  of  the 
day  was  closed  by  a  brilliant  display  of  tire-  works  in 
the  evening. 

"  The  foundation  of  the  monument  is  solid  rock. 
The  base  of  the  shaft  is  81  feet  square,  and  the  shaft 
is  to  rise  to  the  height  of  600  feet,  and  to  be  encircled 
by  a  grand  colonnade  or  pantheon  250  feet  in  diame 
ter  and  100  feet  high  ;  over  the  portico  of  which  is 
a  colossal  statue  of  Washington,  30  feet  high,  in  a 
chariot  drawn  by  six  horses,  driven  by  Victory,  all 
of  colossal  proportions.  The  colonnade  is  to  consist 
of  30  columns,  12  feet  in  diameter  and  45  feet  high, 
surrounded  by  an  entablature  of  20  feet,  and  a  balus 
trade  15  feet  in  height.  The  entablature  will  be 
decorated  with  the  arms  of  the  States,  enclosed  in 
wreaths  of  bronze.  The  portico  consists  of  a  projec 
tion  supported  by  four  columns,  and  is  reached  by  a 
grand  flight  of  marble  steps.  Over  the  centre  of  the 
portico  will  be  emblazoned  the  arms  of  the  United 
States.  The  interior,  or  rotunda,  will  be  ornamented 


Of   THE    NATIONAL    CAPITAL.  4G9 

with  statues  of  the  signers  of  the  Declaration  of  In 
dependence,  set  in  niches  in  the  surrounding  wall ; 
and  upon  the  wall,  above  the  niches,  will  be  repre 
sented,  in  basso-relievo,  the  principal  battles  of  the 
Revolution.  Conspicuous  in  front  of  the  entrance  of 
the  rotunda,  will  stand  a  statue  of  Washington. 
Within  the  stylobate,  or  base  of  the  monument,  will 
be  a  labyrinth  of  apartments  arranged  in  a  most  in 
tricate  manner. 

u  The  material  of  which  the  facing  of  the  monu 
ment  is  constructed,  is  what  is  known  as  Symington's 
large  crystal  marble,  procured  from  the  vicinity  of 
Baltimore.  The  body  of  the  wall  is  of  blue  gneiss. 
The  interior  lining  is  to  be  decorateed  with  blocks 
presented  by  the  different  States  and  foreign  nations, 
societies  and  city  corporations,  ornamented  with  coats- 
of-arms  and  appropriate  inscriptions,  and  so  disposed 
in  the  wall  as  to  be  visible  in  ascending  the  shaft  of 
the  monument.  The  ascent  will  be  by  a  spiral  iron 
staircase,  lighted  with  gas — the  only  openings,  except 
the  doors  below,  being  star-shaped  windows  near  the 
top.  It  is  proposed  to  close  the  apex  with  a  cone 
of  glass.  Besides  the  staircase,  the  ascent  will  be 
made  by  means  of  machinery  up  the  centre  of  the 
shaft.  The  present  height  of  the  structure  is  184 
feet." 

The  monument  stands  immediately  on  the  shore 
of  the  Potomac,  directly  west  of  the  Capitol  and 
south  of  the  White  House.  It  is  surrounded  by  a 
lot  of  thirty  acres,  which  will  be  enclosed  and  hand 
somely  ornamented  when  the  monument  is  finished. 


470  THE    SIGHTS    AND    SECRETS 

The  area  is  called  Monument  Square,  and  is  situated 
at  the  intersection  of  Louisiana  and  Virginia  Ave* 
nues,  upon  the  Mall. 

The  whole  .original  estimated  cost  of  the  monu 
ment  was  one  million  one  hundred  and  twenty-two 
thousand  dollars.  Up  to  the  present  time,  two  hun 
dred  and  thirty  thousand  dollars  have  been  expended 
on  the  unfinished  structure.  The  Society  have  the 
sum  of  ten  thousand  dollars  invested  in  Government 
bonds.  They  use  the  interest  of  this,  or  so  much  of 
it  as  is  necessary,  to  defray  the  expense  of  guarding 
and  protecting  the  work. 

It  is  the  intention  of  the  Society  to  make  an 
energetic  effort,  during  the  present  year,  to  raise  the 
means  necessary  to  carry  on  the  work.  We  trust  the 
movement  will  be  successful.  It  has  long  been  a 
matter  of  reproach  to  us  that  we  have  no  national 
memorial  to  the  Father  of  his  Country.  Maryland 
has  a  beautiful  column  surmounted  by  his  statue, 
and  the  Capital  of  Virginia  contains  the  masterpieces 
of  American  art  devoted  to  the  same  purpose ;  but 
throughout  this  broad  land  we  have  nothing  intended 
to  perpetuate  the  memory  of  Washington  that  can  be 
called  national.  Worse  than  this,  our  people  have 
looked  with  coldness  and  neglect  upon  the  only  effort 
to  erect  such  a  memorial,  and  in  the  midst  of  all  our 
wealth  and  prosperity  it  has  been  found  impossible 
to  raise  the  sum  of  one  million  of  dollars  necessary 
to  complete  it. 

There  never  has  been  a  time  when  this  amount 
could  be  raised  so  easily.  The  country  is  full  of 


OF   THE    NATIONAL    CAPITAL.  471 

money,  and  millions  are  yearly  expended  in  extrava 
stance  and  folly.  A  little  more  genuine  patriotism 
would  relieve  the  nation  from  the  ridiculous  position 
in  which  this  unfinished  structure  places  it. 


472  THE   SIGHTS   AND    SECRETS 


XXXV. 

GENERAL    GRANT. 

FEW  persons  visit  Washington  without  trying  to 
obtain  a  sight  of  General  Grant,  for  no  man  is  so 
thoroughly  looked  up  to  and  reverenced  by  the  peo 
ple  of  the  Union  at  large,  as  the  great  Conqueror  of 
the  Rebellion.  The  General,  however,  has  his  hands 
fiill  with  his  official  duties,  and  has  but  little  time  to 
devote  to  "  lion  hunters."  Consequently  it  is  difficult 
for  any  one  to  obtain  an  interview  with  him  during 
his  office  hours,  unless  he  has  some  legitimate  busi 
ness  to  transact  with  him ;  and,  fortunately  for  him, 
the  most  ardent  sight-seer  has  the  decency  not  to  in 
trude  upon  him  in  the  privacy  of  his  own  home. 

The  majority  of  the  visitors  to  the  Capital,  there 
fore,  being  unable  to  behold  the  General  himself,  are 
forced  to  content  themselves  with  seeing 


HIS    RESIDENCE, 


which  is  situated  on  I  Street,  near  New  Jersey  Ave 
nue.  Strangers  can  best  find  it  by  starting  from  the 
Baltimore  depot,  which  is  on  New  Jersey  Avenue, 
and  going  from  the  Capitol.  A  walk  of  five  or  ten 
minutes  will  enable  them  to  reach  I  Street.  Just  on 
the  brow  of  the  hill,  to  your  left  as  you  go  up  the 
Avenue,  are  three  large  houses  of  Baltimore  pressed 


01?   THE   NATIONAL   CAPITAL.  473 

brick,  with  freestone  trimmings.  They  constitute 
the  famous  "  Douglas  Row,"  so  called  in  consequence 
of  having  been-  erected  by  the  late  Senator  Douglas, 
who  resided  in  the  central  mansion,  which  is  now  the 
property  of  one  of  the  churches  of  the.  city,  and  used 
as  a  school.  Ex-Mayor  Wallach  resides  in  the  house 
at  the  corner  of  New  Jersey  Avenue,  and  the  mansion 
at  the  other  end  of  the  row  is  that  of  General  Grant. 
It  was  purchased  and  presented  to  him  by  a  number 
of  prominent  citizens,  just  after  the  close  of  the  war. 

It  is  located  in  a  very  handsome  part  of  the  city, 
and  upon  high  ground,  which  affords  an  abundance 
of  pure  air.  There  is  a  large  yard  at  the  side,  taste 
fully  laid  off,  and  the  street  is  better  graded  and 
paved  than  most  of  the  Washington  thoroughfares. 
In  front,  the  gigantic  Capitol  looms  up  grand  and 
white  in  the  distance,  and  far  beyond  it  the  blue 
waters  of  the  Potomac  glitter  in  the  sunlight. 

The  house  is  double,  with  a  wide  hall  running 
from  the  front  entrance  to  the  rear,  with  two  large 
rooms  on  each  side.  Through  the  open  window  you 
catch  a  glimpse  of  a  large  library  on  the  left  of  the 
hall,  handsomely  fitted  up,  with  its  walls  lined  with 
well-filled  book-cases.  There  is  an  air  of  elegant  re 
pose  about  the  building  especially  pleasing,  and  you 
go  away  feeling  that  you  have  seen  not  only  one  of 
the  most  noted  places  in  the  city,  but  also  one  of  the 
most  thoroughly  comfortable  residences  in  the  coun 
try. 

It  is  said  that  the  General,  in  deference  to  the 
wishes  of  his  wife,  intends  remaining  at  his  residence 


174  THE    SIGHTS    AND    SECRETS 

after  his  inauguration,  and  using  the  White  Houst 
only  for  the  discharge  of  his  official  duties,  and  for 
ceremonies  of  State — a  sensible  resolution,  and  one 
which  we  hope  will  be  carried  out. 

HIS    HEADQUARTERS. 

The  official  duties  of  his  present  position  are  dis 
charged  by  the  General  at  the  "  Headquarters  of  the 
Army,''  which,  as  we  have  said,  are  located  on  17th 
Street  West,  nearly  opposite  the  War  Department. 
The  reception-room  of  this  building  is  a  small,  square 
parlor  to  the  left  of  the  street  entrance.  It  is  thronged 
with  visitors  daily.  Some  of  them  have  business  with 
the  General ;  others  come  for  office ;  others,  again,  to 
bore  him  with  well-meant  but  very  officious  advice; 
and  others,  still,  merely  to  pay  their  respects  and 
offer  their  congratulations.  The  General  receives  them 
courteously,  and  dismisses  them  at  the  earliest  possi 
ble  moment.  Many  try  to  sound  him  as  to  his  future 
plans,  or  his  views  upon  public  affairs,  but  he  puts 
them  off  blandly,  and  keeps  his  own  counsel.  The 
newspaper  men  try  his  patience  sorely,  but  he  is 
polite  to  them  also,  and  listens  to  them  in  a  courteous 
silence,  neither  assenting  nor  dissenting,  until,  in  per 
fect  despair,  they,  too,  take  their  departure. 

When  all  are  gone,  and  the  receptions  for  the  day 
are  over,  the  General  resumes 

HIS  CIGAR, 

which  he  has  laid  aside  during  the  interviews,  with  a 
feeling  of  deep  reliefl  That  cigar  cf  his,  like  Nape- 


OF   THE   NATIONAL    CAPITAL.  475 

Icon's  gray  overcoat,  and  Frederick  the  Great's  cane, 
has  passed  into  history,  and  has  become  almost  a  part 
of  the  man.  It  has  aided  the  General  to  baffle  many 
a  well-laid  plan  to  force  him  to  commit  himself  by 
some  hasty  or  ill-advised  speech,  and  was  no  doubt 
of  great  assistance  to  him  in  his  studies  of  the  plans 
of  his  campaigns  during  the  war.  And  when  he  goes 
into  the  White  House,  it  will  cheer  him  amidst  the 
trials  of  his  new  position,  and  still  enable  him  to 
accomplish  that  most  difficult  of  all  human  feats — to 
"  hold  his  tongue  "  when  it  is  not  necessary  tr  use  it 


476  THE    SIGHTS    AND    SECRETS 


XXXVI. 

THE  GOVERNMENT  PRINTING-OFFICE. 

THE  printing-office  of  the  Government  is  located 
a  little  to  the  left  of  General  Giant's  residence,  and 
near  the  intersection  of  New  Jersey  and  Massachusetts 
Avenues.  It  was  built  by  Cornelius  Wendell,  and 
was  purchased  from  him,  with  all  its  contents,  by  the 
Government,  in  1860,  for  the  sum  of  $135,000.  It  is 
in  charge  of  Mr.  John  D.  Defrees,  the  Superintendent 
of  Public  Printing. 

The  following  description  of  the  office  and  its 
workings  is  most  interesting : 

"If  you  stand  on  Capitol  Hill,  at  the  top  of  the 
high  flight  of  stairs  leading  into  the  Senate,  and  look 
straight  north,  you  will  see  the  Government  Printing- 
office.  It  is  in  dreary  contrast  to  the  pure  whiteness 
of  the  Capitol.  A  long  rectangle  of  sooty  brick, 
domineered  by  a  scorched  cupola,  from  whose  appa 
rent  ashes  rises  the  Phoenix  of  a  gilt  eagle.  This 
eagle,  troubled  by  the  proximate  confusion  of  Iri^h 
shanties  and  building  lots,  is  less  busied  with  his 
destiny  than  with  the  points  of  the  compass,  which 
he  holds  transfixed  in  his  talons,  and  by  these  you 
perceive  that  just  to  the  north  is  the  Catholic  church 
of  St.  Aloysius,  noisy  with  a  chime  of  bells,  while 


OF  THE  NATIONAL  CAPITAL.          47? 

the  settled  quarter  of  the  city  lies  west  of  and  behind 
the  printing-office. 

"  Making  a  straight  way  from  Capitol  Hill  across 
Tiber  Creek,  which  you  will  cross  by  stepping-stones 
deposited  in  its  basin,  and  taking  a  foot-path  across 
lots  where  geese  and  pigs  browse  upon  plentiful 
barrenness,  you  will  reach  the  printing-house  in  ten 
or  fifteen  minutes,  and  hear  the  hum  of  its  machinery 
while  you  take  in  coup  (TceU. 

u  The  near  exterior  view  is  no  better  than  the 
remote  one.  A  huge  factory  of  red  brick,  about  three 
hundred  and  fifty  feet  long,  with  the  gables  and  one 
side  facing  separate  streets,  and  the  other  side  fenced 
up  to  enclose  boiler  houses,  paper  storehouses,  wagon- 
sheds,  waste-paper  barracks,  and  an  accessory  wing 
for  stereotyping,  and  for  a  machine-shop — this  is  all 
that  a  passing  pedestrian  knows  of  the  Government 
Printing-Office. 

"  INSIDE. 

"  Entering  by  a  door  in  the  long  exterior  side  of 
the  rectangle,  we  ascend  a  few  steps  and  emerge  into 
a  great  composing-room,  taking  up  the  full  length  of 
the  building,  and  here,  between  two  winks,  we  may 
see  five  hundred  men  setting  type  at  the  case.  At 
the  end  of  the  room  nearest  us  is  the  office  of  the 
printer  and  his  clerks,  and  in  the  small  private  office 
in  the  corner  we  find  Mr.  Defrees  busily  engaged. 

"  He  is  a  plainly-dressed,  quiet-mannered  man,  a 
printer  by  trade,  not  above  forty-five  years  old, 
smooth-faced,  gray-eyed,  with  a  business-looK  about 


478  THE    SIGHTS    AND    SECRETS 

him,  and  he  is  an  Indianian,  long  publisher  of  the 
Indianapolis  Journal.  By  birth  he  is  a  Kentuckian, 
of  the  State  which  produced  Blair  and  Rives,  the 
pioneers  of  political  printing  in  Washington. 

"The  salary  of  Mr.  Defrees  is  $3,583.  He  is 
allowed  four  clerks  and  a  messenger,  and  he  must 
superintend  the  entire  business  of  the  office,  while  all 
contracts  for  paper,  <fec.,  are  made  by  a  committee  of 
the  Senate  and  the  House.  The  public  printing-office 
is  therefore  relieved  from  all  the  imputations  of  cor 
ruption  which  used  to  attach  to  it,  and  the  character 
of  the  printer  himself  has  never  suffered  imputation. 
He  is  one  of  the  most  modest  and  attentive  officials 
of  the  Government,  bright  in  public  affairs,  and  in 
business  a  man  of  parts  and  powers.  It  is  among 
the  wise  contingencies  that  he  may  become  a  member 
of  the  Cabinet  of  General  Grant. 

<4  Permission  being  promptly  accorded  to  look  at 
the  printing-office,  we  first  traverse  this  immense  com 
posing-room.  It  is  amply  and  equally  lighted,  and  in 
perfect  silence  the  work  goes  on.  At  one  corner  is 
the  corps  of  proof-readers ;  at  the  further  end  are  the 
stereotypers,  living  in  a  great  furnace-like  room. 
Down-stairs,  in  the  press-room,  likewise  the  whole 
length  of  the  building,  some  forty  Adams'  presses 
standing  in  rows,  and  to  every  press  a  pair  of  girls 
for  feeders.  At  the  bottom  of  the  room  is  the  mighty 
Bullock  press. 

"  THE   BULLOCK    PRESS. 

*'  Do  you  know  what  the  Bullock  press  is  ?     It  is 


OF   THE    NATIONAL   CAPITAL.  479 

the  press  that  is  going  to  weed  out  Hoe,  most  prob 
ably,  within  five  years.  It  is  the  invention  of  a 
Philadelphia  machinist  named  Bullock,  who  was 
caught  in  the  shafts  of  his  machinery,  and  immolated 
upon  his  own  offspring.  It  is  a  press  which,  unwind 
ing  paper  from  an  endless  roll,  carries  it  over  and 
under  a  large  rotary  cylinder,  and  prints  both  sides 
of  a  sheet  at  the  rate  of  sixty-three  double  impressions 
a  minute.  Less  than  every  second  it  releases  forty 
book  pages.  Without  the  jangle  and  crash  of  the 
Hoe  press,  without  a  squad  of  men  to  man  successive 
stories,  and  heavy  and  dripping  impressions  lying  in 
delay  to  be  turned  over,  and  fed  to  the  press  again,  it 
requires  but  three  men  to  manage  it ;  its  sound  is  a 
cheerful  and  energetic  click,  short,  sharp,  decisive,  and 
pleasing ;  it  takes  but  little  comparative  space,  and 
its  operations  are  performed  with  such  ease,  that  the 
eye  incredulously  sees  the  swift  effectiveness  of  its 
work.  The  six-cylinder  Hoe  press  always  looked  to 
me,  in  motion,  like  a  crew  of  airy  firemen  on  ladders, 
saving  goods  from  second  and  third-story  windows. 
It  begins  work  with  extraordinary  pretension,  starts 
with  the  dignity  of  a  provincial  stage-coach,  ships  out 
poor,  little  thin  sheets  of  paper  with  the  noise  of  a 
thunder  cloud,  and  half  the  miracle  of  its  performance 
is  forgotten  in  the  miracle  of  its  bluster. 

"  The  Bullock  press  looks  like  a  black  draught 
horse,  hitched  to  a  roll  of  white  paper,  and  walking 
up  a  tread-mill.  Over  its  back,  one  glistening  roller 
turns,  under  its  hams  another  flies  like  a  polished 
muscle,  and  beneath  the  fore-paws  of  tJie  pony,  the 


480  THE    SIGHTS    AND    SECRETS 

printed  sheets  drop  like  the  flash  of  a  pacer's  shoes.  The 
widow  and  family  of  Bullock  are  proprietors  in  part 
of  this  press,  which  is  being  manufactured  by  a  com, 
pany,  of  which  Wendell,  ex-printer,  is  a  member,  and 
Knapp,  a  rich  Washingtoniau,  is  president.  The  New 
York  Herald  took  out  a  Hoe  press  some  weeks  ago 
and  put  up  a  Bullock.  Col.  Hoe  threatened  to  bring 
suit  against  the  Bullock  people,  but  did  not  do  it. 
His  own  patent  has  expired,  and  Congress  refused  to 
renew  it.  Hoe  is  a  man  of  versatile  and  prolific  talent, 
and  nobody  will  probably  attempt  to  compete  with 
him  in  making  his  presses. 

"  SOME   FIGURES. 

"The  great  Bullock  press  costs  $25,490.  In  one 
year  new  type  added  cost  $18,804  ;  printing-ink,  $19,- 
717  ;  coal,  700  tons  ;  new  machinery,  $5,000. 

"  In  the  bindery,  400,000  Russian  leather  skins 
were  used,  760  packs  of  gold  leaf  (costing  nearly 
$7,000),  nearly  $5,000  worth  of  twine,  and  as  much 
of  glue.  Paper  for  post-office  blanks  alone  cost  $48,- 
000.  The  binding  of  books  consumed  $73,000,  and 
binding  materials  $113,000.  Engraving  and  litho 
graphing  cost  $111,000. 

"  These  figures  show  an  activity  and  outlay  such 
as  is  witnessed  in  no  single  printing-office  in  the 
world. 

:'The  paper  that  runs  this  huge  printing-office 
comes  from  various  manufacturers,  and  is  not  ordered 
by  the  Congressional  printer,  but  by  a  joint  committee 
of  Congress.  It  is  ordered  in  reams  of  500  sheets, 


OF   THE    NATIONAL    CAPITAL.  481 

and  sometimes  paid  for  by  the  pound.  In  the  latter 
case,  from  twenty  to  thirty  cents  is  commonly  paid, 
and,  by  the  ream,  the  prices  vary  from  $8.50  to  $13. 
Three  thousand  reams  came  from  Baltimore,  19,000 
reams,  and  also  20,000  pounds  came  from  Manchester, 
Conn.,  4,000  from  Lancaster,  Pa.,  1,000  from  Phila 
delphia,  exclusive  of  168,000  pounds,  and  20,000 
reams  came  from  New  York.  The  manufacturers  fur 
nishing  the  bulk  of  the  paper  were  Jessup,  Keeney, 
Magarge,  Warren,  and  Daer.  The  cost  of  all  this 
paper  was  $635,000,  considerably  past  half  a  million, 
yet  this  was  less  than  the  sum  paid  for  five  preceding 
years,  the  cost  of  the  paper  being,  in  1865,  more  than 
a  million  and  a  quarter  of  dollars,  and  averaging,  for 
five  years,  about  $820,000.  At  the  end  of  this  eco 
nomical  year,  about  $228,000  worth  of  paper  remained 
in  storage.  Government  never  insures  its  property, 
and  this  immense  amount  of  inflammable  matter  is 
stored  in  sheds  adjacent  to  the  printing-office  and 
guarded  by  watchmen.  Little  do  the  workers  at  the 
paper-mills  on  the  running  waters  of  the  Wissahickon 
and  the  Croton,  know  of  the  processes  through  which 
their  pulp  will  go,  and  of  the  intelligences  it  will 
carry  to  far  frontiers,  to  the  cabinets  of  foxy  foreign 
diplomats,  to  the  libraries  of  the  world. 

"  The  printing  for  the  Executive  Department  of 
the  Government  costs  nearly  as  much  money  as  the 
total  work  done  for  Congress.  The  Executive  De 
partments,  with  the  courts,  required,  in  1867,  about 
$757,000  worth  of  priming,  while  the  House  of  Rep 
resentatives  ran  up  a  bill  of  $455?000?  and  the  Senate, 
3; 


482  THE    SIGHTS    AND    SECRETS 

$186,000.  In  addition  to  this,  acts  of  Congress  war 
ranted  about  $233,000  additional  of  work  done  for 
miscellaneous  objects.  Mr.  Seward  is  a  dainty  hand 
with  the  types,  and  will  have  no  bindings  but  the 
best.  His  bill  was  about  $32,000  last  year.  The 
Supreme  Court  and  its  satellite  courts  take  less  than 
half  as  much,  or  nearly  $15,000.  The  Congressional 
printer  himself  has  a  little  bill  of  $700,  but  the  At 
torney-General  is  most  modest  of  all,  not  reaching  the 
figure  of  $600,  nor  does  the  new  Department  of  Edu 
cation  consume  more.  The  Agricultural  Department, 
with  its  huge  reports,  passes  $35,000.  The  monstrous 
appetite  of  the  Treasury  leads  every  thing,  with  near 
ly  $300,000,  and  the  War  Department  follows  it  with 
$148,000.  Next  come  the  Post  Office,  Navy,  and  In 
terior  Departments,  ranging  from  $78,000  to  $52,000. 

"  GOVEENMENT   LITEEATUEE. 

"Now  let  us  see  what  kind  of  documents  the 
Government  is  printing.  Last  year  156  separate 
books  and  documents  were  turned  out  of  this  office, 
a  variety  of  work  which  was  not  probably  equalled 
by  the  Harpers,  Appletons,  Lippincotts,  Fields,  and 
Scribners  together.  The  entire  number  of  copies 
printed  was  not  far  from  900,000. 

"  Mr.  Seward,  with  his  usual  luxuriousness,  had 
an  appendix  to  his  diplomatic  correspondence  pre 
pared,  at  a  cost  of  $29,000.  The  book  made  754 
pages,  and  of  22,000  odd  copies  printed,  the  Secretary 
took  10,000  himself.  The  diplomatic  correspondence 
in  two  volumes,  attached  to  Johnson's  messages  for 


OF   THE   NATIONAL    CAPITAL.  483 

1867,  made  also  about  2,200  pages,  costing  $35,0004 
and  Mr.  Seward  privately  u  bagged  7,500  copies." 
Also,  to  continue  with  Mr.  Seward,  his  annual  inter 
national  commercial  report  made  830  pages,  and  cost 
$10,000,  and  Mr.  Seward  took  950  copies. 

"  The  largest  documents  were  those  of  Mr.  Sew- 
ard's  diffuseness,  and  also  the  following : 

"  Report  on  Southern  railroads,  1,000  pages.  Re 
port  on  Delano  and  Morgan,  1,504  pages.  (This 
Delano  is  an  expensive  dog — how  much  is  Ben  Eg- 
gleston  to  cost  when  he  contests  ?)  Report  of  Hogan, 
contesting  Pile's  seat,  632  pages.  (Hogan  is  a  literary 
chap,  evidently.)  Report  of  the  Commissioner  of 
Patents,  2,180  pages.  Lanman's  Dictionary  of  Con 
gress,  610  pages.  (This  is  more  than  all  copies  Con 
gress  unitedly  owns  of  any  dictionary  of  the  English 
language.)  A  select  committee  report  their  views  on 
the  Indians  to  the  tune  of  544  pages.  Smithsonian 
annual  report,  472  pages.  (This  report  is  made  up 
of  interesting  magazine  articles,  where  all  subjects  are 
considered  from  cheese  to  asteroids).  Confidential 
communications  from  the  President,  872  pages.  (A 
penny  for  this  thought,  and  posterity  will  dispute  the 
bill  as  excessive!)  Three  Army  Registers,  1,404 
pages.  (Ben  Wade's  celebrated  report  on  the  conduct 
of  the  war — supplement  to  it,  1,269  pages.)  Laws 
of  the  United  States,  788  pages.  Report  of  the  Com 
missioner  of  the  Land  Office,  in  English,  French,  Ger 
man,  and  Swedish,  346  pages.  (This  is  the  most 
practical  and  valuable  report  issued.)  Agricultural 
report,  612  pages.  (This  is  a  very  expensive  book. 


4S4  THE    SIGHTS    AND    SECRETS 

printed  to  the  amount  of  166,000  copies,  at  a  cost  of 
$144,000.  Something  too  much  of  this !)  The  big- 
gest  bills,  besides  the  above,  are  for  binding  the  Con 
gressional  Glole,  $33,000.  Ditto  (bound  more),  $27,- 
000.  Patent  Office  report,  $24,000.  The  message  of 
Andrew  Johnson,  fricasseed  and  abridged,  $39,000. 

"  Beside  these  books  and  many  others,  there  is 
another  little  batch  of  books  ordered  for  Mr.  Seward, 
of  his  favorite  diplomatic  correspondence,  of  10,050 
copies.  Also  the  Agricultural  Department  is  a  candi 
date  for  100,000  more  copies  of  its  big  report.  The 
Patent  Office  people  want  to  be  in  print  21,000 
copies  extra ;  and  there  is  a  tremendous  book  on  the 
death  of  Mr.  Lincoln,  which  is  the  most  costly  book, 
probably,  ever  issued  in  the  United  States.  This 
most  expensive  book  ever  issued  by  a  government, 
considering  its  cubic  contents,  and  the  extraordinary 
nature  of  its  subject-matter,  is  the  appendix  to  Mr. 
Seward's  diplomatic  correspondence,  containing  ex 
pressions  of  sympathy  and  condolence  with  the  nation 
on  the  fate  of  Abraham  Lincoln.  The  cost-price  of 
producing  the  book  will  be  $18,200,  or  more  than  $6 
a  copy,  while  the  bindings  on  some  special  copies, 
ordered  for  the  crowned  heads,  <fec.  abroad,  will  prob 
ably  bring  them  up  to  $20  or  $25  a  copy.  Seward's 
united  works,  correspondence  and  all,  will  make  about 
twenty  volumes,  valuable,  indeed,  but  the  extra  gilt 
might  be  delegated  to  the  crowned  heads  to  put  to 
their  library  books," 


THE  NATIONAL   CAPITAL.  485 


XXXVII. 
HOW  THE  PEOPLE'S  MONEY  IS  SQUANDERED. 

WE  have  already  referred  to  the  extravagance  of 
Congress,  in  making  appropriations  of  the  public 
funds.  This  is  one  way  in  which  the  people's  money 
is  squandered.  But  Congress  is  not  alone  guilty  in 
this  matter.  There  is  a  vast  amount  of  extortion 
practiced  upon  the  Government,  with  the  complicity 
of  its  agents.  The  following  will  illustrate  the  man 
ner  in  which  this  is  done.  "We  merely  remark  here 
that  the  Patent  Office  is  not  the  only  scene  of  such 
operations.  It  is  believed  that  there  is  not  a  depart 
ment  of  the  Government,  but  is  similarly  afflicted  to 
a  greater  or  less  extent. 

THE  PATENT  OFFICE  FEAUDS. 

On  the  4th  of  January.  1869,  the  following  charges 
appeared  in  the  Washington  correspondence  of  the 
New  York  Tribune: 

"  During  the  latter  portion  of  the  last  session  of 
Congress,  Mr.  Ela,  of  the  Printing  Committee  of  the 
House,  was  charged  with  the  investigation  of  charges 
of  fraud  against  the  persons  holding  the  contracts  for 
supplying  the  Interior  Department  with  stationery 
That  investigation,  in  conjunction  with  one  similar, 
made  by  the  Retrenchment  Committee,  led  to  the  in- 


486 

troduction  of  a  joint  resolution  annulling  the  contracts 
which  were  held  by  a  firm  doing  business  in  this  city. 
Congress  adjourned,  however,  without  passing  the 
resolution.  Afterward,  the  Commissioner  of  Patents 
made  complaint  to  the  Secretary  of  the  Interior,  that 
the  stationery  and  printing  of  his  Bureau  were  of  a 
very  inferior  quality,  and  not  what  he  bargained  for. 
The  Secretary  of  the  Interior  ordered  a  Commission 
to  examine  into  the  complaints,  and  report  to  him. 
It  is  charged  that  the  stationery  contractors  managed 
to  have  their  friends  appointed  on  the  Commission, 
and  a  report  sustaining  them  was,  of  course,  made. 
Instead  of  finding  any  abuse  in  the  quality  of  the 
supplies  that  were  furnished,  they  asserted  that  the 
contractors  ought  to  be  paid  for  300,000  sheets  of 
bond  paper,  for  which  they  never  had  a  contract,  and 
which  the  Acting  Commissioner  of  Patents  at  that 
time  never  ordered.  These  contractors  furnished 
300,000  sheets  last  May,  at  eight  cents  a  sheet,  which 
the  Committee  on  Printing  ascertained  could  be  fur- 
nisled  at  about  one  cent  and  a  half  a  sheet.  At  the 
rate  it  is  now  used,  this  was  enough  to  last  a  dozen 
years.  It  would  seem  that  a  man  fitted  to  examine 
a  patent,  ought  to  see  an  abuse  in  this,  if  he  could 
not  find  any  in  their  getting  pay  for  $7,000  or  $8,000 
worth  of  goods  in  about  one  month,  where  the  men, 
who  kept  an  account  of  all  received  for  more  than 
three  quarters  of  the  time,  didn't  receive  $500  worth, 
and  nobody  can  find  who  got  the  rest.  The  report, 
made  by  the  Printing  Committee  in  July  last,  showed 
that  a  large  sum  had  been  paid  for  blank  books,  so 


OF   THE   NATIONAL    CAPITAL.  487 

large  as  to  astonish  the  present  Commissioner  of  Pat- 
ents,  and  he  set  about  to  see  who  had  received  them. 
He  found  six  index  books  had  been  charged  at  $25 
apiece,  and  that  six  had  been  received  not  worth 
seventy -five  cents  apiece.  He  found  forty-six  caveat 
books  charged  at  more  than  $40  apiece,  when  there 
couldn't  be  ten  found  in  the  Office,  and  they  not 
worth  half  the  price  charged.  He  also  discovered 
that  the  Patent  Office  was  paying  $40  per  1,000  for 
patent  cards,  worth  about  $5,  and  $22  for  card  tags, 
worth  about  $3,  and  that  150,000  had  been  paid  for, 
of  which  only  50,000  could  be  accounted  for  as  hav 
ing  been  received.  Brown  manilla  envelopes,  the 
Committee  found,  were  costing  $48  per  thousand, 
which,  with  the  printing  added,  probably  cost  $1  a 
thousand,  and  while  140,000  were  paid  for,  the  Pat 
ent  Office  reported  only  40,000  as  having  been  re 
ceived.  They  found,  also,  $140  a  thousand  were  paid 
for  patent  heads,  which  are  now  costing  but  $25  per 
thousand.  There  were  28,000  charged  and  paid  for, 
but  not  half  the  number  could  be  accounted  for  as 
used.  Notwithstanding  all  these  abuses,  Secretary 
Brownings  Commission  cleared  the  contractors  of 

O 

any  frauds  or  irregularities,  and  ordered  that  they  be 
paid  an  additional  $24,000,  for  goods  never  ordered. 
This  amount  the  Secretary  of  the  Interior  has  ordered 
to  be  paid." 

This  article  was  followed  the  next  day  by  another, 
giving  still  further  particulars.  Said  the  Tribune  : 

"  The  Commissioner  of  Patents  having  declined 
to  pay  the  bills  of  the  conti  actor  for  furnishing  sta- 


488  THE    SIGHTS    AND    SECRETS 

tionery  and  bond  paper  for  the. Patent  Office,  on  the 
ground  that  there  was  fraud  in  the  contract,  the 
Secretary  of  the  Interior  appointed  a  Commission, 
composed  of  B.  F.  James,  Norris  Peters,  and  E.  W. 
Griffin,  principal  examiners  in  the  Patent  Office,  to 
inquire  into  the  alleged  fraud.  The  charge  is  made, 
that  these  Commissioners  were  in  collusion  with  the 
contractors,  and  their  report  amounts  to  nothing. 
This  the  Commission  deny.  They  say  they  investi 
gated  the  matter  thoroughly  and  impartially.  In 
their  report,  they  say  the  articles  furnished  were  such 
as  were  specified  in  the  contracts  and  schedules  at 
tached,  and  at  the  prices  specified,  or  by  a  special  or 
implied  agreement,  so  far  as  the  Patent  Office  is  con 
cerned,  with  the  Commissioner  of  Patents,  to  furnish 
such  unenumerated  articles  as  were  required,  at  prices 
paid  and  agreed  to  be  paid  by  him.  The  terms  and 
conditions  of  the  contract  proper,  necessarily  exclude 
any  inquiry  into  its  character,  or  of  the  prices  stipu 
lated  to  be  paid,  unless  fraud  is  shown.  And  we  are 
also  of  opinion  that  bills  presented  to  the  Patent 
Office,  accepted  and  paid,  are  also  an  estoppel  on  the 
part  of  the  Office  as  to  the  character  of  goods  pur 
chased  and  the  prices  paid  therefor.  Such  purchases 
may  be  considered  a  matter  of  contract,  particularly 
when  the  payment  of  the  bills  rendered  are  by  means 
of  a  requisition  upon  the  Treasury  Department  for 
the  amount  required,  signed  by  the  Commissioner  of 
Patents  and  the  Secretary  of  the  Interior,  making  it 
ipso  facto  a  contract  with  the  Department  proper,  and 
becomes  a  subject  of  review  only  upon  proof  of  fraud. 


OF   THE    NATIONAL   CAPITAL.  489 

The  unadjusted  accounts  of  the  contractor  against  the 
Patent  Office  on  their  bills  rendered  the  1st  of  Sep 
tember,  amounting  to  about  $5,000,  and  their  claim 
for  balance  due  on  contract  on  bond  paper,  amounting 
to  $24,000.  The  items  comprising  the  first  bill  are 
proven  to  have  been  delivered  by  the  contractors,  by 
persons  having  cognizance  of  such  matters.  As  re 
gards  the  bond  paper,  the  Commission  set  forth  that 
there  is  no  doubt  that  the  Commissioner  of  Patents 
contracted  with  the  contractor  to  purchase  600,000 
sheets  of  bond  paper,  at  eight  cents  per  sheet.  The 
Office  received  upon  this  contract  330,240  sheets,  and 
the  contractors  admit  they  have  on  hand  270,000, 
which  have  been  tendered  to  the  Office  and  refused. 
The  Commission  recommend  that  the  contractor  de 
liver  the  additional  270,000,  the  balance  of  the  600,- 
000  contract,  and  that  the  Patent  Office  should  adjust 
and  pay  the  bills  above  referred  to.  This  is  the  de 
fence  of  the  Commission  and  the  contractors,  but  the 
Commissioner  of  Patents  and  the  Printing  Committee 
of  the  House  also  made  investigations  of  the  charges, 
and  they  are  of  the  opinion  that  the  evidences  of 
fraud  having  been*practiced  are  flagrant  and  need 
further  investigation.  In  connection  with  this  matter 
comes  the  report,  that  President  Johnson  will  remove 
Commissioner  Foote  within  the  next  ten  days  and 
nominate  a  successor.  Secretary  Browning  is  said  to 
be  in  favor  of  Foote's  removal,  and  his  friends  are  press 
ing  the  matter  at  the  White  House.  The  Printing  Com 

CJ  C 

mittee  of  Congress  care  nothing  for  Foote  nor  Brown 
ing,  but  wish  merely  to  protect  the  Government." 


WASTE   IN   THE    GOVEENMENT. 

Having  presented  some  startling  facts  in  relation 
to  the  extravagance  of  Congress,  it  may  not  be  out 
of  place  to  recur  to  the  matter,  and  offer,  for  the  con 
sideration  of  the  reader,  some  additional  evidence 
upon  the  subject,  which  we  take  from  the  columns 
of  the  Chicago  Tribune,  one  of  the  ablest  Republican 
journals  in  the  country.  The  assured  position  of  the 
Tribune,  as  a  Republican  journal,  affords  incontestible 
proof  that,  in  bringing  forward  these  facts,  it  is  influ 
enced  by  no  hostility  to  Congress,  but  is  moved  to 
such  a  course  solely  by  its  desire  to  see  inaugurated 
an  era  of  retrenchment  and  reform. 

"  The  appropriations  for  the  Senate  for  the  next 
year  are  put  down  at  $730,000,  or,  with  seventy-two 
Senators,  about  $10,000  apiece.  The  Representatives 
require,  meantime,  $2,000,000.  These  appropriations 
can  be  largely  reduced.  A  great  burly  fellow  named 
Jones,  is  "  Keeper  of  Senate  Stationery,1'  altogether  a 
sinecure  office,  at  a  salary  of  $2,102.  Every  Senator 
has  one  and  a  fraction  of  a  servant,  there  being  about 
eighty  retainers  to  the  Senate,  besides  a  promiscuous 
excess  of  runners,  policemen,  firemen,  and  altogether, 
about  half  a  regiment  of  spongers — Jones  being  prob 
ably  the  idlest  and  fattest.  The  Congressional  printer, 
forced  to  take  a  regiment  of  drones  whom  he  does 
not  want,  expends,  according  to  expectation,  about 
$1,400,000,  but  in  the  end  this  and  other  estimates 
have  to  be  pulled  up  by  extra  Congressional  appro 
priations.  The  library  of  Congress  demands  about 
$50,000,  $13,000  of  which  goes  to  buy  books,  and 


OP   THE   NATIONAL   CAPITAL.  491 

$17,000,  Laving  nothing  to  do  with  the  library,  is  ap 
propriated  to  certain  remote  botanic  gardens.  The 
working  expenses  of  the  library,  per  se,  are  extremely 
cheap  and  diminished,  and  the  appropriation  to  buy 
books  is  one  of  the  most  insufficient  in  the  enumera* 
tion.  Yet,  for  very  shame's  sake,  Congress  has  tacked 
on  to  the  library  expenses  the  cost  of  raising  bouquets 
for  the  parties  of  their  households,  too  many  of  which 
get  to  the  bosoms  of  cyprians  to  make  them  present 
able  in  the  lobbies  of  the  Capitol.  The  most  modest, 
the  mightiest,  and  yet  the  mite-est  appropriation  is 
that  for  the  library,  an  institution  of  which  many 
Congressmen  know  nothing,  but  whose  quiet  treasures 
atone  for  much  ignorance,  illiteracy,  and  misinforma 
tion  which  one  sees  in  the  flanks  of  the  Capital. 
Altogether,  the  two  Houses  of  Congress  demand  for 
the  coming  year  $5,300,000,  according  to  their  own 
estimate,  rendered  by  the  Secretary  of  the  Treasury. 
This  is  about  half  the  cost  of  the  Capitol  building, 
yet  how  small  is  it  compared  to  the  sums  Congress 
throws  away  in  corrupt  enterprises  of  which  we  never 
hear  twice.  The  Sutro  tunnel,  so  near  passing,  would 
have  cost,  if  I  mistake  not,  $7,000,000  at  a  pop. 
Within  a  few  days  all  the  proposals  will  have  been 
received  from  various  parties  for  printing  the  debates 
of  Congress.  This  is  a  big  job,  and  all  the  jobbers, 
little  and  big,  will  endeavor  to  get  in  upon  it.  Now, 
it  is  plain  that  these  debates  can  be  printed  at  only 
two  places  in  this  district — at  the  Globe  office,  where 
they  have  been  printed  these  many  years,  and  which 
is  provided  with  about  $200,000  worth  of  presses  and 


41)2  THE    SIGHTS    ANI^  SECRETS 

material,  or  at  the  Government  printing-office,  which 
is  also  adapted  to  do  so  large  an  amount  of  work. 
Besides  these  two  offices,  there  are  none  in  the  Dis 
trict  of  Columbia  which  can  get  out  the  debates  in 
newspaper  shape  every  day,  and  be  also  at  work  upon 
the  Congressional  Globe  for  the  bindery.  If,  there 
fore,  Mr.  John  W.  Forney,  Mr.  Frank  Moore,  or  any 
body  else,  means  to  bid  for  this  contract,  let  Congress 
look  to  it  that  the  lucky  contractor  is  not  to  get  the 
money,  and  the  work  afterwards  return  to  the  Gov 
ernment  printing-office  for  necessity's  sake.  This  is 
the  probability,  that  some  speculator,  without  a  cent 
in  his  pocket,  may  be,  will  bid  for  this  contract,  ex 
pecting  to  compel  the  proprietors  of  the  Globe  to  let 
their  office  to  him,  or  expecting,  if  he  fail  to  get  the 
Globe  office,  that  Congress  will  afford  him  relief  by 
opening  the  hospitality  of  the  Government  printing- 
office.  In  the  latter  case  the  work  will  be  paid  for 
twice  over.  Up  to  this  time  the  Rives  family  has 
been  a  good  servant  of  the  Government.  There  has 
never  been  any  issue  about  the  Globe's  reliability  or 
integrity.  My  private  belief  is,  that  Government  ought 
to  print  its  own  testaments,  but  it  is  sure  that  no  new 
outsider  can  do  any  better.  Once  this  contract  was 
given  to  Gales  &,  Seaton,  and  they  came  back  upon 
the  Government  for  relief  to  the  tune  of  $100,000. 
The  Postmaster  of  Washington  tells  me  that  the  loss 
in  money  of  his  Post  Office,  which  has  to  be  made  up 
by  the  Treasury,  is  $80,000  a  year.  He  attributes 
this  altogether  to  the  franking  privilege,  which  makes 
Washington  Post  Office  a  reservoir  for  tons  of  free 


OF   THE   NATIONAL   CAPITAL.  493 

matter,  and  amounts  to  a  prohibition  of  stamp  sell 
ing.  If  members  of  Congress  were  paid  $500  a  year 
in  postage  stamps,  non-commutable,  and  the  franking 
privilege  abolished,  the  country  would  be  the  gainer. 
A  number  of  clerks,  a  dollar's  worth  of  parchment 
for  each  bill,  a  mile  of  circumlocution,  and  a  chance 
for  an  incendiary  at  their  place  of  storage,  are  involved 
in  the  antiquated  and  useless  habit  of  transcribing  all 
the  bills  passed  by  Congress.  According  to  old  Eng 
lish  ceremony,  there  was  a  Master  of  the  Rolls;  there 
fore,  we  have  rolls  and  their  master,  and  the  expense 
entailed  in  this  ridiculous  piece  of  parchment-reverence 
is  an  exceedingly  large  item.  These  parchment-bills 
are  never  called  for,  the  laws  being  printed  in  official 
books,  and  from  these  books  applied  judiciously.  The 
Master  of  Rolls  is  a  functionary  of  the  State  Depart 
ment,  and,  of  course,  he  has  nothing  to  do.  Drop  the 
parchment,  the  transcribing  clerks,  and  save  us  some 
money  !  This  I  mean  to  harp  upon." 


494  THE    SIGHTS    AND    SECRETS 


XXXVIIL 
THE    FREEDMEN. 

PREVIOUS  to  the  war  the  institution  of  slavery 
existed  in  the  District  of  Columbia,  and  the  colored 
population  consisted,  in  a  great  measure,  of  slaves. 
About  the  beginning  of  the  second  year  of  the  late 
war,  however,  it  became  evident  to  all  that  it  was  the 
purpose  of  the  General  Government  to  receive  and 
protect  all  slaves  from  the  surrounding  country  who 
sought  an  asylum  in  the  District.  This  conviction 
spread  rapidly  among  the  negroes  in  Maryland  and 
Virginia,  and  they  abandoned  their  masters  and  old 
homes,  and  came  into  Washington  in  great  numbers 
— to  such  an  extent,  indeed,  that  it  seemed  the  city 
would  be  overrun  with  them.  "  They  came,"  says  a 
recent  writer,  herself  a  former  slave,  "  with  a  great 
hope  in  their  hearts,  and  with  all  their  worldly  goods 
on  their  backs.  Fresh  from  the  bonds  of  slavery, 
fresh  from  the  benighted  regions  of  the  plantation, 
they  came  to  the  Capital  looking  for  liberty,  and 
many  of  them  not  knowing  it  when  they  found  it. 
Many  good  friends  reached  forth  kind  hands,  but  the 
North  is  not  warm  and  impulsive.  For  one  kind 
word  spoken,  two  harsh  ones  were  uttered ;  there  was 
something  repelling  in  the  atmosphere,  and  the  bright, 
joyous  dreams  of  freedom  to  the  slave  faded — were 


OP   THE   NATIONAL   CAPITAL.  4&5 

sadly  altered  in  the  presence  of  that  stern,  practical 
mother,  reality.  Instead  of  flowery  paths,  days  of 
perpetual  sunshine,  and  bowers  hanging  with  golden 
fruit,  the  road  was  rugged  and  full  of  thorns,  the  sun 
shine  was  eclipsed  by  shadows,  and  the  naute  appeals 
for  help  too  often  were  answered  by  cold  neglect. 
Poor,  dusky  children  of  slavery,  men  and  women  of 
my  own  race,  the  transition  from  slavery  to  freedon 
was  too  sudden  for  you  !  " 

The  change  was  indeed  too  sudden,  and  the  poor 
creatures  were  utterly  unprepared  for  it.  Their  life 
long  bondage  had  made  them  think  freedom  an  exist 
ence  in  which  no  labor  was  necessary,  and  they  camo 
believing,  and,  in  many  instances,  induced  to  believe, 
that  the  Government  would  undertake  their  entire 
support.  They  overcrowded  the  city  to  such  an  ex 
tent,  and  were  so  utterly  helpless,  that  the  authorities 
were  compelled  to  establish  camps  or  quarters  for 
them.  They  flocked  to  these  places,  where  they  were 
enabled  to  live  by  means  of  rations  issued  to  them 
by  order  of  the  War  Department.  They  suffered 
fearfully  during  the  war.  Disease  and  death  were 
busy  amongst  them,  and  so  abject  was  their  condi 
tion,  that  it  must  be  confessed  they  were  decidedly 
worse  off  as  freedmen,  than  they  had  been  as  slaves. 
Diseases  of  various  kinds,  engendered  by  the  filth  in 
which  they  lived,  carried  off  many  of  them.  When 
the  war  closed,  an  effort  was  made  to  induce  them  to 
leave  the  city  and  go  elsewhere,  but  they  were  slow 
to  avail  themselves  of  the  opportunities  held  out  to 
them.  Since  April,  1865;  however,  they  have  been 


496  THE   SIGHTS    AND    SECRETS 

gradually  thinned  out?  but  to-day  the  city  is  still  over 
run  with  them. 

As  a  class,  their  condition  is  very  wretched,  the 
majorty  of  them  living  in  abject  poverty.  If  they 
were  willing  to  work,  there  is  not  employment  enough 
for  them  in  the  District,  but  too  many  of  them  show 
no  dispositon  to  earn  a  livelihood  in  any  manner  but 
by  stealing.  The  majority  live  in  the  greatest  squalor 
and  filth,  and  are  given  to  idleness,  drunkenness,  and 
immorality.  Having  seen  much  of  the  city  before  and 
since  the  war,  the  writer  can  testify  that  it  is  infinitely 
worse  off  for  the  presence  of  these  people.  It  would 
be  a  blessing  to  the  place,  and  a  merciful  kindness  to 
the  freedmen  themselves,  if  the  Government  would 
forcibly  break  up  their  haunts,  drive  them  out  of  the 
ciiy,  and  scatter  them  through  the  country,  for  their 
present  existence  is  a  curse  to  them,  both  morally  and 
physically.  So  far  the  Government  has  done  nothing 
but  encourage  them  in  habits  of  idleness,  lawlessness, 
and  vice. 

The  colored  people  proper  of  the  District,  by  which 
term  we  mean  those  who  were  born  in  it,  or  have  lived  in 
it  many  years,  are  very  different  from  the  refugee  freed 
men  we  have  been  describing.  They  are,  as  a  class, 
intelligent,  respectable,  and  industrious.  Nearly  all 
of  them  have  some  steady,  honorable  employment,  at 
which  they  work  faithfully.  They  hold  themselves 
aloof  from  the  freedmen  in  the  camps  or  villages,  and 
consider  themselves  vastly  superior  to  them,  and  justly 
so.  As  a  class,  they  have  the  good  will  and  respect 
of  their  white  neighbors,  and  are  proving  themselves 


OF   THE   NATIONAL    CAPITAL.  497 

worthy  of  it.  Some  of  them  are  men  of  property 
and  nearly  all  have  a  knowledge  of  reading  and  writ 
ing.  They  send  their  children  to  school,  and  exert 
themselves  in  every  way  to  benefit  their  condition. 
They  feel  keenly  the  discredit  which  the  refugee 
freedmen  have  brought  upon  their  race,  and  are  ex 
ceedingly  anxious  that  they  should  leave  the  city. 

The  following  account  of  an  interview  between 
the  correspondent  of  a  St.  Louis  journal  and  the  but 
ler  of  a  high  officer  of  the  Government  is  interesting 
in  this  connection  : 

"  I  saw  a  venerable  negro  in  his  full  harness  yes 
terday,  at  the  house  of  an  official.  He  had  waited 
upon  no  end  of  great  people  from  the  era  of  Monroe 
down.  He  knew  me  as  a  visitor  merely,  at  the  house 
of  his  '  boss.'  The  boss  went  out,  temporarily. 

"  *  Finn,'  he  said,  '  get  into  a  talk  with  Caseius. 
He's  clever  as  you  make  'em.  Take  him  on  the  sober 
side.' 

"  *  Come  in,  Cassius.' 

" '  Cassius,  I  would  like  to  have  a  little  private 
talk  with  you.  Do  you  know  my  business  ? ' 

"  *  Yas,  sah  ;  you  write  for  the  papers  and  things.' 

"  '  That's  what's  the  matter  !  It  is  in  your  power,, 
Cassius,  to  be  of  great  service  to  your  race  and  mine. ' 
You  can  do  this  by  telling  me  the  truth.  I  know 
that  you  are  a  shrewd  man ;  you  have  saved  some 
money ;  you  have  political  frames  of  mind.  All 
your  life  is  not  a  monkey  life,  as  most  people  believe. 
The  problem  of  the  black  race  which  troubles  us, 
even  now  that  you  are  free?  will  trouble  you  and  iia 

32 


THE    SIGHTS    AND    SECRETS 

much  longer,  unless  we  understand  each  other.  You 
are  a  salaried  liar,  Cassius !  You  dodge  and  skulk 
for  your  master,  swear  he  is  not  at  home,  keep  away 
4  bores,'  *  bag '  cigars  at  his  parties — I  have  watched 
you.  You  are  a  Washington  servant— -no  worse  than 
many  grades  of  white  politicians.  It  is  a  low  life, 
Cassius.' 

"  *  Mr.  Finn,'  said  Cassius,  '  you're  severe.' 

"  '  Am  I  right  3 ' 

1 '  You  ben  lookin'  at  me,  sah.' 

"  *  Now,  come  !  What  are  you  colored  people  up 
to?' 

"  *  Mr.  Finn,'  said  Cassius,  '  de  laws  of  human 
nature  are  juss  de  same.  Skins  may  differ,  as  de  poet 
says,  but  affection,  or  human  nature,  never  waries. 
For  de  lass  twenty  years  de  cullud  people  of  de  Dee- 
streek  have  had  ringleaders — intelligent  men,  who 
kep'  'em  adwised.  I  was  one  of  'em.  We  chieftains 
could  read,  and  we  did  read.  We  consulted.  We 
found  foce  (force)  was  out  ob  de  question.  We  so 
advised  our  people.  But  we  saw  that  de  Norf  and 
Souf  must  go  to  war  some  day,  and  it  was  plain  dat 
in  some  way  we  would  get  mixed  up  in  de  war.  As 
to  the  end  ob  dat  war,  our  hearts  was  troubled.  We 
thought  de  Southern  man  would  win.  He  was  de 
fighting  jackall. 

"  *  It  proved  contrariwise.  But  it  was  so  ordered 
dat  de  black  man's  help  was  necessary.  Dat  neces 
sity,  sar,  saved  us,  brought  us  out,  and  we  air  now  on 
pur  pins. 

;  *  Mr,  Finn,  #gre  a.r$  mp'  cullud  people  going  to 


OF   THE    NATIONAL   CAPITAL.  499 

Bcliool  now  in  de  Deestreek  dan  whites.  In  no  cullud 
quarter  or  family  is  dere  objection  to  schools.  All  is 
enthusiasm ;  de  same  cannot  be  said  of  Berks  County, 
Pennsylwaney,  and  some  oder  white  deestreeks.  Dere 
never  was  a  people  dat  hungered  and  fursted  for  edu 
cation  like  de  Amercan  citizens  of  African  descent. 

"  '  Mr.  Finn,  we're  savin'  money.  De  money-puss 
controls.  Dere  are  some  tolabul  rich  cullud  men  in 
de  Deestreek. 

"  '  Sar,  we  know  what  is  impossible.  As  to  so 
cially  •  pushin'  among  white  folks,  it  is  not  congenial 
to  either  color.  As  to  marryin'  into  'em,  where  is  de 
use  ?  A  good  mahogany  face  is,  to  my  min',  de  color 
ob  de  gole-paved  streets.  We  can't  prevent  licen 
tiousness  altogether.  Neither  can  you.  Nature  draws 
de  dividin'  line  between  de  colors.  Sometimes  a  nasty 
imagination  will  cross  it  from  boff  sides. 

"  *  Lassly,  sar,  it  wouldn't  improve  your  idee  ob 
my  sagacity  to  say  dat  I  took  cigars  and  brandy  from 
my  boss.  Consider,  sar,  dat  I  don't  do  it.  But,  if 
you  want  to  pursue  dese  questions  in  social  science 
furder,  come  to  my  house  of  a  Sunday,  and  I  will 
give  you  a  cigar  quite  as  good  as  de  boss's,  and  per 
haps,  by  accident,  de  identical  brand !  De  Lord  dat 
created  men  wid  inalienable  rights,  give  'em,  also,  in 
alienable  perquisites.' ': 

ARLINGTON   VILLAGE, 

situated  on  Arlington  Heights,  in  Virginia,  just  oppo« 
site  the  city,  is  one  of  the  various  settlements  estab 
lished  by  the  Government  to  relieve  the  Capital  from 


500  THE    SIGHTS    AND    SECRETS 

being  overflowed  by  the  freedmen.  It  lies  within  the 
famous  Arlington  estate,  formerly  the  property  of  the 
wife  of  Washington,  and  at  the  time  of  the  breaking 
out  of  the  war  the  home  of  General  Robert  E.  Lee. 
In  spite  of  this  latter  ownership,  it  is  a  pity  the  Gov 
ernment  did  not  spare  the  place.  It  is  so  intimately 
connected  with  the  memory  of  the  illustrious  Wash 
ington,  that  it  should  have  been  set  apart  and  spared 
from  the  desecration  and  vandalism  to  which  its 
various  occupants,  since  1861,  have  subjected  it. 

The  village  is  in  charge  of  the  Freed  men's  Bureau, 
and  is  in  better  condition  than  the  majority  of  such 
establishments  throughout  the  country,  so  that  it  can 
not  be  justly  regarded  as  a  fair  specimen  of  them. 
The  officers  of  the  Bureau  have,  frequently,  hard  work 
to  keep  the  negroes  in  subjection,  and  to  enforce  their 
orders.  Once  or  twice  it  has  been  necessary  to  sum 
mon  the  aid  of  the  military.  Yet  the  establishment 
has  done  little  for  the  permanent  good  of  the  black 
man.  It  has  but  encouraged  his  habits  of  idleness 
and  dependence,  and  it  would  seem  far  better  to  aban 
don  it  as  soon  as  possible,  and  thus  relieve  the  country 
of  the  heavy  load  of  taxation  which  its  support  ren 
ders  necessary. 


OF  THE  NATIONAL  CAPITAL.          501 


XXXIX. 

MUNICIPAL   AFFAIRS. 


THE  city  of  Washington  is  governed,  under  the 
authority  of  a  charter  derived  from  Congress,  by  a 
Mayor  and  Common  Council  elected  by  the  people. 
The  former  is  chosen  for  a  period  of  two  years.  The 
business  of  the  municipal  authorities  is  carried  on  at 


THE    CITY   HALL, 

" 


which  is  situated  on  Judiciary  Square.  It  faces  the 
intersection  of  D  Street  North  and  Louisiana  and  In 
diana  Avenues,  on  the  south,  and  is  bounded  on  the 
north  by  H  Street,  on  the  east  by  Fourth  Street  West, 
and  on  the  west  by  Fifth  Street  West.  It  was  begun 
in  1820,  and  completed  in  1850.  It  was  originally 
proposed  to  build  it  from  the  proceeds  of  a  lottery, 
but  the  cost  of  erecting  it  has  been  about  equally 
divided  between  the  city  and  the  General  Govern 
ment.  Congress  showed  a  decided  unwillingness  to 
contribute  any  thing  towards  it,  and  even  begrudged 
the  sum  necessary  to  make  it  habitable. 

It  is  at  present  a  plain,  awkward  building,  situated 
in  one  of  the  handsomest  parts  of  the  city.  It  con 
tains  the  office  of  the  Mayor,  the  rooms  used  by  the 
Board  of  Aldermen  and  City  Council,  the  various 
local  Courts  of  the  District,  and  the  Criminal  and 


502  THE    SIGHTS    AND    SECRETS 

Circuit  Courts  of  the  United  States  held  in  the  Dis 
trict. 

Immediately  in  front  of  the  City  Hall  is  a  hand 
some  pillar  of  white  marble,  on  which  stands  a 

STATUE    OF    LINCOLN, 

cut  out  of  the  same  material.  The  pillar  is  thirty-five 
feet  high,  and  the  statue  is  life-size.  The  whole  struc 
ture  cost  $7,000,  and  was  erected  by  the  voluntary 
contributions  of  the  citizens  of  Washington.  It  was 
executed  by  Mr.  Lot  Flannery,  of  Washington  City, 
formerly  a  lieutenant  in  the  United  States  Army.  It 
was  dedicated,  with  appropriate  ceremonies,  on  the 
15th  of  April,  1868,  in  the  presence  of  the  President 
of  the  United'  States,  Members  of  Congress,  the  Ex 
ecutive  Departments,  the  Diplomatic  Corps,  and  a  vast 
and  brilliant  concourse  embracing  many  of  the  most 
distinguished  personages  in  the  land. 

THE   WASHINGTON    CHUECHES. 

Washington  is  well  provided  with  religious  edi 
fices,  one  or  two  of  which  are  very  handsome  and  in 
a  very  flourishing  condition.  There  are  five  Baptist 
churches  ;  six  Roman  Catholic ;  seven  Episcopal ;  two 
"  Friends'  Meeting  Houses  ;  "  one  Jews'  synagogue  ; 
three  Lutheran  churches ;  ten  Methodist  Episcopal ; 
two  Methodist  Protestant ;  one  New  Jerusalem ;  seven 
Presbyterian  ;  one  Reformed  German  ;  one  Unitarian  • 
two  colored  Baptist;  one  colored  Presbyterian;  and 
seven  colored  Methodist  churches  in  the  city,  making 
a  total  of  fifty-six  religious  edifices  completed  and  in 
use.  There  are  several  others  in  process  of  erection. 


OF    THE   NATIONAL    CAPITAL.  503 

Trinity  church  (Episcopal),  at  the  corner  of  Third 
Street  West  and  C  Street  North,  is  perhaps  the  most 
fashionable  and  the  wealthiest.  St.  John's  (Episcopal), 
a  plain  little  structure  just  opposite  the  White  House, 
is  noted  as  having  been  the  place  of  worship  sought 
by  a  large  number  of  the  Presidents. 

AKT   GALLERIES. 

There  are  several  fine  collections  of  works  of  art 
in  the  city,  prominent  among  which  is  that  of  Mr.  W. 
W.  Corcoran,  a  wealthy  banker,  residing  in  perhaps 
the  most  magnificent  house  in  Washington,  just  across 
the  park  from  the  White  House.  He  is  the  owner 
of  Powers'  "  Greek  Slave,"  Leutze's  "  Milton  at  the 
Organ,"  and  some  of  the  finest  works  of  American 
artists,  of  whom  he  has  been  a  munificent  patron.  A 
year  or  two  before  the  war,  he  erected  a  handsome 
"  gallery  of  art "  on  Pennsylvania  Avenue,  just  oppo 
site  the  War  Department,  which  is  now  occupied  by 
the  Quartermaster-General's  Department  of  the  Army. 

Mr.  J.  C.  Maguire  and  Mr.  Jauvier  also  have  ex 
cellent  collections. 

There  are  no  public  galleries,  however,  the  paint 
ings  and  statuary  in  the  Government  buildings  being 
the  only  national  works  of  art  in  the  city. 

THE   MARKETS 

are  dirty  and  filthy  in  appearance,  consisting  of  long 
low  sheds,  in  which  the  various  articles  of  food  are 
exhibited  for  sale  during  the  early  part  of  the  day. 
The  supply  of  provisions  is  bountiful,  and  the  vege- 


504  THE    SIGHTS    AND    SECRETS 

tables  and  fruits  are  of  the  "best  quality.  The  season 
is  earlier  than  that  of  the  markets  of  most  of  our 
targe  cities,  and  those  who  are  able  to  afford  it,  have 
here  an  opportunity  of  enjoying  the  first  and  best 
fruits  of  the  ground. 

The  meats  come,  as  a  general  rule,  from  the  high 
lands  of  Virginia  and  Maryland,  and  are  of  an  excel 
lent  quality.  Venison,  wild  turkeys,  ortolon.  reed- 
birds,  and  canvas-back  ducks  are  the  principal  articles 
of  game  to  be  found,  and  are  seen  here  in  perfection ; 
while  the  shad  and  other  fish,  oysters  and  crabs  of 
the  Potomac,  will  compare  favorably  with  those  of 
any  part  of  the  world.  And  yet,  with  all  this  abun 
dance  of  "  good  things,"  the  hotels  and  boarding- 
houses  set  but  indifferent  tables. 


THE   PUBLIC    SCHOOLS 

are,  as  yet,  in  their  infancy.  There  are  five  large 
"  public  schools,"  as  they  are  called,  which  correspond 
to  the  "  high  schools "  of  most  other  cities,  and  a 
number  of  primary  schools.  The  system  is  still  in 
complete,  and  capable  of  great  expansion  and  reform. 
Of  late  years  it  has  received  more  attention  from  the 
city  authorities  and  the  people,  and  there  is  now  a 
fair  prospect  that  the  system  will  soon  be  placed 
upon  a  basis  which  will  enable  it  to  meet  the  wants 
of  all  classes  of  the  community. 

There  are  many  private  schools,  some  of  which 
are  excellent,  and  the  city  also  contains  several  male 
and  female  boarding-schools. 


OF   THE    NATIONAL   CAPITAL.  505 

Columbia  College,  the  National  Medical  College^ 
and  Gonzaga  College  (a  Roman  Catholic  institution), 
rank  high  amongst  the  educational  establishments  of 
the  land.  The  first  has  sent  forth  some  of  the  bright 
est  names  that  have  ever  graced  the  annals  of  Ameri 
can  law,  theology,  and  science. 

THE   POTOMAC   WATER    WORKS, 

by  means  of  which  the  cities  of  Washington  and 
Georgetown  are  supplied  with  fresh  water,  constitute 
one  of  the  most  wonderful  and  gigantic  monuments 
of  modern  skill.  They  were  constructed  by  the 
United  States  Engineer  Corps,  under  the  authority 
of  the  General  Government,  at  a  cost  of  nearly  $4,- 
000,000 — a  small  sum,  however,  in  comparison  with 
the  advantages  which  a  steady  supply  of  fresh  water 
has  brought  to  the  Capital. 

There  is  a  Distributing  Reservoir  on  Lee's  Hill, 
in  Georgetown,  for  the  purpose  of  supplying  that  city 
with  water. 

The  following  description  of  the  works  is  taken 
from  BolinJs  Handbook  of  Washington : 

"  The  Aqueduct  is  a  conduit  of  masonry,  circular 
in  form,  and  nine  feet  in  internal  diameter. 

"  It  is  built  of  stone  or  bricks  set  in  hydraulic 
cement  or  water-lime,  which  in  time  becomes  as  hard 
as  the  brick  itself. 

"  The  whole  length  of  the  work,  from  the  Great 
Falls  of  the  Potomac  to  the  Distributing  Reservoir 
above  Georgetown,  is. twelve  and  a  half  miles. 


506  THE    SIGHTS    AND    SECRETS 

* "  The  capacity  of  the  work  is  to  supply  67,596,400 
gallons  of  water  every  twenty-four  hours. 

"New  York  has  a  supply  of  about  30,000,000 
gallons. 

"  The  greater  part  of  the  work  is  under  ground ; 
many  hills  have  been  tunnelled ;  many  ravines  crossed 
by  embankments  with  culverts  for  the  passage  of  the 
streams  beneath  the  Aqueduct ;  but  it  is  only  at  a 
few  bridges  that  the  Aqueduct  itself  can  be  seen,  as 
all  else  is  carefully  covered  with  earth  to  protect  it 
from  frost  or  from  decay,  and  the  Aqueduct  looks  like 
an  abandoned  railway  route  from  which  the  rails  have 
been  removed. 

"  The  first  structure  to  be  seen  in  connection  with 
the  Aqueduct,  is  the  bridge  by  which  the  water-pipes 
are  carried  over  Rock  Creek,  which  separates  the  cities 
of  Washington  and  Georgetown. 

"  This  is  an  arch  of  200  feet  clear  span,  composed 
of  two  immense  cast-iron  pipes,  four  feet  in  internal 
diameter,  which,  in  the  form  of  an  arch  springing 
from  massive  abutments  of  sandstone,  support  a  hori 
zontal  roadway,  and  at  the  same  time  convey  the 
water  of  the  Aqueduct  across  the  stream. 

"  Passing  through  Georgetown,  and  following  the 
road  along  the  bank  of  the  canal,  we  find,  just  above 
the  city,  another  bridge,  in  which,  by  a  similar  cast- 
iron  arch  of  120  feet  span,  the  pipes  cross  the  basin 
known  as  College  branch,  from  the  college  upon  the 
hill  above  it. 

"  About  one  mile  above  Georgetown,  upon  the 
brow  of  the  table-land  overlooking  the  Valley  of  the 


OF   THE   NATIONAL    CAPITAL.  507 

Potomac,  and  at  an  elevation  of  145  feet  above  tide, 
we  find  the  Distributing  Reservoir,  an  oblong  sheet 
of  water  containing  about  forty  acres. 

"  It  is  nearly  a  mile  long,  and  a  quarter  of  a  mile 
in  width. 

"  Here  the  Aqueduct  proper  of  masonry  ends ; 
below  this  point,  the  water  being  conveyed  in  cast- 
iron  pipes  to  send  through  the  cities. 

"  The  embankment  of  the  Aqueduct  forms  a  level 
road,  and  a  pleasant  drive  through  the  beautiful 
scenery  of  the  Potomac  Valley. 

"  Two  miles  from  the  Distributing  Reservoir  we 
reach  the  Receiving  Reservoir,  in  which  the  water, 
retained  by  an  immense  embankment  sixty-five  feet 
in  height  and  several  hundred  feet  in  length,  spreads 
out  among  the  hills  in  an  irregular  shape,  resembling 
a  mountain  lake. 

"  Its  extreme  length  is  about  seven  eighths  of  a 
mile.  Its  surface  contains  fifty-two  acres,  and  its  ex 
treme  depth  is  forty  feet. 

"  Here  are  stored  up,  above  the  level  to  which  the 
water  could  be  drawn  down  in  case  of  accident,  or 
while  clearing  out  the  Aqueduct  from  the  falls,  100,- 
000,000  gallons  of  water. 

"  The  two  Reservoirs  would  supply,  in  case  of  any 
such  emergency,  or  the  interruption  of  the  Aqueduct 
by  a  hostile  force,  200,000,000  gallons  of  water. 

"  The  gate-houses,  which  regulate  the  flow  and 
supply  of  water  here  and  at  the  other  Reservoir,  are 
ouilt  in  a  massive  and  durable  style,  as  though  in 
tended  to  last  for  ages. 


508 

"  The  height  of  the  water  in  this  Reservoir  is 
regulated  by  a  waste-channel,  excavated  through  the 
solid  rock  to  a  great  depth.  The  materials  taken 
from  this  excavation  were  used  in  the  construction  of 
the  embankment  which  retains  the  water  and  forms 
the  lake  or  Reservoir. 

"The  Aqueduct  enters  this  Reservoir  by  a  tunnel 
800  feet  in  length  through  solid  rock." 

"Passing  over  the  Reservoir,  we  find  again  the 
level  road  on  top  of  the  Aqueduct,  which  winds 
through  a  bold  country  for  two  miles  further  to  the 
Cabin  John  Bridge. 

"  This  is  a  stupendous  arch  of  granite,  spanning  a 
ravine  by  a  single  leap  of  220  feet.  The  depth  of 
the  ravine  below  the  top  of  the  bridge  is  101 
feet. 

"  This  is  the  largest  masonry  arch  in  the  world. 
The  famous  Grosvenor  Bridge  of  Chester,  in  Great 
Britain,  being  of  twenty  feet  less  span. 

"  The  width  of  the  bridge  is  only  twenty  feet ;  its 
thickness  at  top  14  feet  6  inches ;  its  extreme  length 
482  feet. 

"  The  conduit,  or  water  channel  through  it,  is  nine 
feet  in  diameter,  lined  with  bricks  and  asphaltum. 

"  The  whole  of  the  masonry  is  laid  in  hydraulic 
cement. 

"  The  country  grows  wilder  as  we  proceed,  and 
about  1^  miles  above  Cabin  John  Bridge  the  Aque 
duct  crosses  the  Mountain  Spring  Brook  by  a  graceful 
elliptical  arch  of  masonry  of  seventy-five  feet  span. 

"At  the  end  of  this   bridge  it  plunges   into  the 


OF   THE   NATIONAL    CAPITAL.  509 

mountain,  and  in  the  space  of  half  a  mile  passes 
through  two  tunnels. 

"  The  two  bridges  above  this  point  are  small ;  but 
there  are  many  tunnels,  and  the  scenery  is  very  wild 
and  beautiful. 

"  At  the  Great  Falls,  sixteen  miles  from  the  Presi 
dent's  House,  a  dam  of  stone  crosses  the  river,  and  a 
massive  construction  in  cut  stone  guards  the  head  of 
the  Aqueduct,  which  here  admits  the  water  to  its 
channel,  passing  under  the  Chesapeake  and  Ohio  Canal. 

"  A  gate- house  contains  the  gates  and  valves  by 
which  the  water  is  regulated  in  its  flow  towards  the 
city. 

"  The  first  turf  of  this  work  was  dug  by  President 
Pierce,  on  the  8th  November,  1853,  in  presence  of 
members  of  the  Cabinet,  of  Congress,  and  the  muni 
cipal  authorities  of  the  District  cities. 

"  Appropriations  were  not  given  with  regularity, 
and  the  work  did  not  therefore  proceed  with  the  speed 
desired  by  the  engineers.  But,  on  the  3d  of  January, 
1859,  the  day  before  the  Senate  occupied  its  new 
Chamber  for  the  fii*st  time,  the  water  brought  from 
the  Receiving  Reservoir  burst  from  the  fountain  at  the 
foot  of  the  Capitol,  and  rose  with  a  jet  of  ninety-nine 
feet  in  height." 

PUBLIC   GEOTINDS. 

When  the  city  was  originally  laid  off,  the  Govern 
ment  reserved  a  considerable  portion  for  parks  and 
public  grounds.  The  principal  of  these  are  the 
Capitol  Park,  The  Mall,  the  square  in  front  of  the 
President's  House,  which  is  ornamented  with  a  bronze 


510  THE    SIGHTS    AND    SECRETS 

statue  of  Jefferson,  Lafayette  Square  immediately  op 
posite,  and  the  circles  and  triangles  at  the  intersection 
of  the  various  Avenues. 

Lafayette  Square  contains  the  famous  Jackson 
Statue,  by  Clark  Mills.  It  is  a  bronze  equestrian 
statue,  and  was  executed  at  a  cost  of  $50,000.  It  is 
composed  of  the  cannon  taken  by  General  Jackson  in 
his  battles  with  the  English  forces  during  the  second 
war  with  Great  Britain. 

At  the  junction  of  Pennsylvania  and  New  Hamp 
shire  Avenues,  and  23d  Street  West  and  K  Street 
North,  there  is  a  large  circle  formed  by  the  intersec 
tion  of  those  thoroughfares.  It  is  ornamented  by  an 
equestrian  statue  of  Washington,  also  by  Clark  Mills. 
It  is  colossal  in  size,  and  is  one  of  the  finest  works  of 
its  kind  in  existence.  It  is  mounted  on  a  handsome 
pedestal  ornamented  with  scenes  from  the  life  of 
Washington. 

THE   PEESS. 

The  principal  newspapers  of  Washington  are  the 
National  Intelligencer,  the  Chronicle,  the  Expi'e-ss, 
and  the  Star.  They  are  all  dailies,  and  are  respect 
able  journals.  The  city  has  no  first-class  newspaper, 
such  as  the  Capital  of  a  great  nation  should  have,  and 
its  press  is  so  entirely  local  in  its  character  as  to  be 
utterly  devoid  of  interest  to  any  but  residents  of  the 
city.  The  National  Intelligencer  and  the  Chronicle 
are  the  principal  journals,  but  would  be  regarded  as 
belonging  to  the  "  second  class  "  in,  any  of  the  great 
cities  of  the  Union, 


OP   THE    NATIONAL    CAPITAL.  511 


XL. 

IMPOSTORS. 

PERSONS  visiting  Washington  on  business,  are  very 
frequently  the  dupes  of  impostors,  with  which  the  city 
abounds.  These  scoundrels  represent  themselves  as 
Members  of  Congress,  or  as  belonging  to  one  of  the 
important  branches  of  the  Government,  and  offer  their 
services  to  facilitate  your  business  in  any  way  that  lies 
in  their  power,  for  which  they  ask  a  sum  which  varies 
with  the  nature  of  the  business,  or  of  the  service  they 
propose  to  render.  Such  men  are  simply  impostors, 
who  are  constantly  on  the  watch  for  strangers,  out  of 
whose  simplicity  and  ignorance  of  public  affairs  they 
expect  to  reap  a  rich  harvest.  It  is  best  to  decline  all 
offers  of  assistance  in  Washington,  whether  gratuitous 
or  for  a  stated  compensation,  unless  the  party  making 
the  offer  is  known  to  you  to  be  a  man  of  integrity, 
and  capable  of  carrying  out  his  promises.  There  are 
a  plenty  of  men  of  character  in  the  city  who  make  it 
their  calling  to  act  as  a  medium  between  strangers  and 
the  various  departments  in  the  arrangement  of  busi 
ness  affairs  between  them.  Such  men  are  always  easy 
to  find,  and  a  man  who  is  fleeced  by  Bogus  Congress 
men  and  other  impostors,  has  only  his  own  stupidity 
to  blame. 

Men  are  not  the  only  persons  thus  engaged.    A 


512  THE    SIGHTS    AND    SECRETS 

number  of  women,  some  of  whom  are  beautiful,  ac 
complished,  and  attractive,  exert  themselves  to  decoy 
strangers  into  trusting  them.  They  offer  to  gain  ac 
cess  to  the  President,  the  Secretaries,  the  heads  of 
Bureaus,  and  other  officials,  at  times  when  men  are 
denied,  and  generally  charge  high  for  their  services. 
What  especial  influence  they  may  possess  with  mem 
bers  of  the  Government  they  refuse  to  explain,  but 
not  unfrequently  induce  men  to  pay  them  for  services 
which  they  never  render,  or  which,  if  rendered  accom 
plish  nothing. 

By  placing  their  business  in  the  hands  of  a  com 
petent,  and  known  professional  man,  and  turning  a 
deaf  ear  to  all  impostors  and  adventurers,  both  male 
and  female,  strangers  will  always  have  justice  done 
them,  and  save  themselves  from  extortion  and  rob 
bery. 


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Embracing  also,  the  Adventures  of  the  Author's  Escape  from 

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